


The Burning Ring

by Theodur



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azutara - Freeform, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Gratuitous Smut, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lesbian Azula (Avatar), Lesbian Katara (Avatar), Post-War, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:33:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28550922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theodur/pseuds/Theodur
Summary: 4 years after the Hundred Years War, Katara takes it upon herself to help an unrepentant Azula, hoping to repeat what Iroh was able to achieve with Zuko. Both Katara and Azula are shocked to find an unexpected bond slowly forming and deepening between them. Will their relationship endure in the face of incredible challenges, facing vengeful ghosts of the past and disapproval from their families and friends? (Warning: This story has a high lemon content.)
Relationships: Azula & Katara (Avatar), Azula/Katara (Avatar)
Comments: 53
Kudos: 184





	1. Chapter 1

_5 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Republic City_

Azula's entire body felt like she was on fire. She tried desperately not to cry out, her teeth pressing into her lower lip as she bit back a strangled moan. The unrelenting assault on her senses she was enduring, robbed Azula of control over her own body, something that felt incredibly frightening to her on the surface level, but something she had quickly become addicted to.

Panting, the former Crown Princess reared her head slightly, gazing down her naked body, shining with perspiration, until her half-lidded eyes met those wide cerulean orbs, gazing up at her. _Agni_ , she hated that smug look on Katara's face... or did she? Everything about _them_ still felt so strange and confusing, but Azula knew one thing... she didn't hate what Katara was doing to her. Even if she could be such an infuriating tease about it.

Katara smirked to herself as she looked up into Azula's face, already slightly contorted by pleasure. It wouldn't be long before the ex-princess started to beg Katara to grant her release, something that Katara had by now learned to provide almost effortlessly... but it did not mean that she would listen to Azula's threats or pleas. Oh no... getting Azula off quickly, where was the fun in that? All the fun was in dragging it out for as long as Azula could take it, to hear the desperation in her voice, to watch her ferocious wildcat unraveling into a tame, mewling kitten.

Her tongue never left Azula's clit even as she maintained eye contact with the princess. She knew perfectly well the way Azula liked to be touched there, and she knew how to make her come in a near instant, slow upwards strokes with firm pressure by the tip of her tongue. But since Katara was not interested in making Azula come yet, she kept teasing her with circular motions of her tongue, time and again replacing her tongue with her eager lips, suckling on Azula's swollen, sensitive clit. Ever so slowly, the pleasure began to build for the ex-princess, Katara could tell that by the way she began to squirm beneath her.

Katara wondered for how long she could torture Azula this time before granting her the desperately sought release. Azula was probably the most impatient person Katara had ever encountered, and occasionally, when she took things a little too far, Azula would break out in spontaneous firebending as she came, setting things around them aflame, even the soaked sheets. It was fortunate that as a waterbender, she could take immediate care of that problem... but it all just underlined that making love to Azula was wrought with its own dangers. However, Katara was quickly becoming aware of just how much she loved playing with fire...

Unable to decide whether to put her fingers to the task or just get Azula off with her lips and tongue, Katara pulled her mouth away from Azula's clit, releasing it with a soft popping sound. "I can't decide whether you deserve my fingers tonight or not," she gave the ex-princess a sultry smile.

"Katara, I swear I'm going to set you on fire one of these days," Azula panted at her, trying to get her breath back. Her pitch black hair were mussed, loose strands sticking to her wet brow.

"Was that a yes? Or a no?" Katara mused, returning to trace Azula's clit with the tip of her tongue, frustratingly short from exerting the amount of pressure her lover craved.

"Yes... yes, fuck! I want your fingers, okay?" Azula ground out, struggling to contain her moans.

"But you always want my fingers, Zula," Katara smirked, breaking the contact again, eliciting a growl from the ex-princess. "I am deliberating whether you deserve them."

"I hate you, Kat," Azula moaned helplessly, unashamedly lifting her hips of the bed to seek contact with Katara's mouth.

"That's not the magic word, Zula," Katara smirked, leaning more firmly onto Azula's lower body to pin her down against the bed, then slowly and teasingly dragging her tongue across Azula's slickened folds, lapping up the wetness gathered there. "Well... evidence suggests that you really want my fingers," she remarked, licking her lips. There was something about the way Azula tasted, sweet with unidentifiable spiciness, that had made Katara so addicted to her. "All you need to do is to ask for them," she added, aware that the sight of her enjoying Azula's taste always drove her lover completely wild.

"Fuck... Katara, please, I need your fingers. Please, I need them so bad," Azula finally overcame her pride as a pleading note entered her imperious voice. She spread her legs even wider as a sign of both complete surrender and invitation, and now Katara found herself unable to resist.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Katara grinned, truly setting to her task. With her lips and tongue returning to Azula's clit, she brought her right hand up to her lover's opening and encountering barely any resistance, two of her fingers slipped past Azula's soaked folds, entering her tight and pliant warmth. In an instant, Azula's thus far controlled moans became a litany of curse words and Katara felt Azula's hips slamming against her face as she instinctively raised them upwards.

Still, even with Azula now receiving far more stimulation, Katara made sure that she didn't push her lover over the edge just yet. She kept the strokes of her fingers a little shallow, avoiding the spot that she knew made Azula succumb near instantly. She still kept the pressure of her tongue against Azula's clit feathery light. All this meant that while the flames in Azula's core grew hotter and hotter, Katara was keeping the process agonizingly and torturously slow.

"Kat, damn you... more, I need more," Azula panted, desperation starting to creep into her voice. Her toes began to curl delicately. Her thighs started to tremble. Azula's right hand seized the sheets in an iron grip as the fingers of her left hand rolled her rock-hard nipple.

Katara pulled away from her clit, grinning as her fingers continued to thrust into Azula's wetness. "You know what you have to say to get what you want, babe," she winked at her lover.

"Damn it..." Azula moaned. "Katara, please, make me come. Please..."

"That's not all I want to hear, Zula," Katara spoke, her voice ever so soft and velvety. All the while, she kept working her wrist, keeping up the thrusts.

Azula did not hesitate too long before the words that Katara longed to hear tumbled past her lips. "Kat, I... I love you. Make me yours... please!"

Katara's heart soared from the extracted confession. She redoubled her efforts, now rewarding Azula with the touch she craved. The tip of her tongue hit Azula's clit in slow, firm strokes, just how she wanted it. Her fingers inside Azula curled slightly and she began to push a little deeper, hitting the exact spot that always got Azula to surrender in an instant.

The reaction was immediate. Azula's moans became high-pitched cries, her breath cut short as tremors rocked her body. Having pushed Azula right over the edge, Katara decided that she had earned her own little reward, abandoning Azula's clit and replacing her fingers with her mouth, lapping up the fresh surge of wetness that escaped past Azula's folds as she shook in the throes of a powerful orgasm.

Pulling away with a smug and satisfied grin, her chin coated with Azula's juices, Katara crawled up in the bed to lay by Azula's side, leaning in against her recovering lover, Azula struggling to regain her breath, her breasts rising and falling powerfully. Katara ran her fingers through Azula's soaked folds one more time, then bringing them up to her lover's lips and slipping them into Azula's mouth. With the muffled sigh of a half hearted protest, Azula accepted the offering, eagerly starting to suckle on Katara's digits before she removed them with a soft pop.

"Are we having fun, princess?" Katara asked in a teasing voice, unable to take her eyes away from Azula.

"Fuck, that was..." Azula let out a deep sigh. "Shit, I still don't understand all of this, but what I know is... I fucking love what you're doing to me."

"What is it that you don't understand, Zula?" Katara asked patiently.

"How this could have even happened," Azula replied a little dreamily. "How _we_ happened. It doesn't seem to make sense, right? I'm not complaining, mind you."

"I know what you mean, Zula," Katara smiled, leaning in to kiss her sweat soaked brow. "Come to think of it... the way we happened is a bit of a crazy story, isn't it?"

* * *

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Royal Caldera City_

"Which escape attempt was this during the past four years, Zuko?" Avatar Aang asked, pacing around the private study of Fire Lord Zuko. "I'm counting twelve."

"Uh, actually..." Zuko coughed uncomfortably, browsing through his notes as he sat at his desk. "It was Azula's fourteenth attempt to escape."

"Let's be honest, this was more than just an attempt," Sokka said, sitting on the opposite side to Zuko, his sister Katara leaning in against the desk. "This was an international disaster. It's no wonder you called us in for help."

"It was a terrible coincidence, really," Zuko sighed. "I mean... she couldn't have known that a large delegation from the Earth Kingdom would be arriving on that exact day. Honestly... I kind of goofed there. I pulled some extra security from keeping an eye on Azula, that's probably how she was able to escape."

"To go on an absolute rampage," Aang shook his head. "People died, Zuko! What's worse, they were Earth Kingdom citizens!"

"Dai Li agents," Katara added. "Not that it makes any of this better."

"It makes things a lot worse, honestly," Zuko sighed at the waterbender. "Although, let's be honest... many witnesses say that the Dai Li attacked first."

"Well, even if that's true, what did you expect?" Aang shrugged. "They saw Azula running towards them like crazy, looking ready to bend. We can't seriously blame the Dai Li for this one."

"I suppose not," Zuko admitted reluctantly. He found himself glaring at a large official looking envelope in front of him, bearing the seal of Earth King Kuei. "And now I have to deal with this crap," he nodded at the letter.

" **We** have to deal with it, Zuko," Katara reminded him gently. "That's why you asked us to come to the Fire Nation, remember?" Zuko nodded at her.

"Well, there don't seem to be many solutions before us, Zuko," Aang shrugged again. "You know that as the Avatar, I must do everything within my power to maintain the balance. And that means avoiding another conflict between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. I won't allow you to go to war over your sister."

"Especially when she hasn't shown any signs of improvement," Sokka added. "It's been four years, Zuko. If she was going to get better, she would have made some progress, right?"

"I don't know... I'm not a healer," Zuko sighed. "So, in order to preserve peace, I have to hand my sister over to the Dai Li. You know what that means, don't you?"

Aang and Sokka both looked deeply uncomfortable, while Katara visibly shuddered, going pale in the face. "Maybe if I had a word with King Kuei, I could make sure that the Dai Li treat her well," Aang wondered, then giving Katara a quick glance. "You've been very quiet so far, sweetie. What do you think?"

Katara frowned at Aang's use of the word 'sweetie'. Prior to coming to the Fire Nation, they had spent an entire year apart, after Katara had told Aang that she did not see future for their relationship. She was feeling discontent with following Aang everywhere he went, helping him realize his dreams, watching him getting surrounded by crowds of adoring fans, while her own dreams and achievements were all swept under the dubious designation of being the Avatar's girlfriend. In the aftermath of their breakup, Katara had returned to the South Pole in order to help her people rebuild and continue growing her skills as both a waterbender and a healer. She had been doing perfectly fine by herself, not dating anyone and simply focusing on her own goals, but it seemed that Aang was not coping all that well with their breakup, judging by how he repeatedly kept calling her 'sweetie' despite her asking him to avoid using the word.

"I would not trust the Dai Li to treat Azula with any dignity. Their mind control techniques are... repugnant," Katara spoke, sounding disgusted. "And they want to get back at Azula for all the humiliation she has put them through over the years. Handing Azula over to them is... a death warrant, or worse."

"What other options do we have, really?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know," Katara shrugged helplessly. "What if we could prove to the Dai Li that Azula is not a danger to them?"

"Well, she kinda is a menace to society at large," Sokka frowned. "Sorry, Zuko," he added hastily, watching the young Fire Lord wince. 

"How do you figure we could prove that, sweetie?" Aang asked Katara.

"Please, Aang, I told you not to call me that, we are no longer together. Respect that," Katara spoke sternly, making the Avatar blush red with embarrassment. Honestly, Katara was starting to get rather annoyed. Aang had become particularly overbearing ever since they had arrived in the Fire Nation. She wondered whether it had anything to do with some rumors that there was more between her and Zuko than just friendship. Said rumors had picked up when Zuko's engagement with Mai fell through around the same time that Katara decided to leave Aang, but it had been purely a coincidence. Katara liked Zuko a great deal, and they corresponded with each other regularly, but aside from that, there was absolutely nothing to the rumors.

"Sorry, Katara," Aang quickly apologized. Katara couldn't help but notice that Zuko looked very curious about their exchange. "Anyway, how would you prove that Azula is no longer a threat?"

"I don't know," Katara sighed. "I don't know what sort of healing she has received here in the capital. Maybe it would have been a good idea to send her to the North Pole. Their healers are renowned for dealing with all sorts of ailments of the mind."

"I had some healers from the North brought here, to no avail," Zuko said, looking downcast. "Maybe I should have sent her away from the Fire Nation and to the North. But I don't think the Dai Li will agree to this plan now."

"Probably not," Sokka sighed. "I'm sorry, Zuko, but I just don't see a way other than handing Azula over to them."

"How can you give up so quickly? Would you let the Dai Li get their hands on me just as easily if they asked?" Katara blurted out angrily, glaring at her brother. "Azula has hurt us all terribly, but she's still Zuko's sister! Can you imagine what losing her would do to him? We can't let that happen!"

Aang seemed to be a little taken aback by Katara's passionate defense of Azula. By showing how much she cared about Zuko's wellbeing, Katara had undoubtedly fueled his unfounded jealousy even further. "What if I told you that there was a way to make sure that Azula can no longer threaten anyone else ever again?" Aang asked, looking pleased with his solution.

"I'm all ears, Aang," Zuko remarked cautiously.

"What makes Azula so dangerous?" Aang asked.

"She's a firebending prodigy, duh," Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Exactly," Aang nodded. "She's not a threat without her bending, and there's your answer," the Avatar drew himself up proudly. "In order to preserve the balance in this world, I have to take away Azula's bending."


	2. Chapter 2

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Capital City Prison_

"Please don't tell me this is where you have held her all these years, Zuko," the voice belonging to a young woman seemed vaguely familiar to Azula. She quickly rose from the cot and assumed her best defiant stance, arms crossed on her chest as she prepared to glare that the approaching visitors.

"No, of course not," she heard her brother's reply. "It is just a temporary measure after she was finally apprehended." The group had by now arrived at Azula's cell and she could finally get a good look at the four figures on the other side of the bars. All of her old adversaries seemed to be in attendance, with the exception of that annoying blind earthbender girl.

There was the Avatar himself, Aang eyeing her with those large and expressive grey eyes like she was some kind of exotic animal on display. There was something about him that creeped her out, especially once she had heard the stories of how the Avatar State had reduced her father to a laughable punching bag. Then there was the waterbender, Katara, looking pretty pissed off as she kept staring intently at Azula. Lastly, there was also Katara's brother, but since he was useless and irrelevant, Azula had never bothered to memorize his name.

"Azula," Aang addressed her in a neutral, impassive voice, that for some reason creeped her out even further. She preferred to remember him as that goofy twelve year old bald kid whom she had enjoyed wiping the floor with every time they had fought. But that was before he had mastered the Avatar State, and grown up to become this severe figure with powers that even Azula had to admit, she could not stand up against. "I have heard that you have been wasting all the chances of redemption and healing that Zuko has been offering to you," Aang continued. 

Azula snorted, not intent on dignifying that comment with an answer. What did they expect of her, to crawl on her belly and submissively beg for forgiveness? If they were not complete idiots, they should have known that her pride would not allow for it, so she simply kept staring at him defiantly.

"It saddens me that you are still completely unrepentant about all that you've done, Azula," Aang continued. "But in a way, you have left us with no choice. I won't take any delight in what I am about to do..."

"Wait," Katara suddenly spoke up, interrupting the Avatar. "I'm sorry, but I am having some serious second thoughts. Zuko," she turned towards Azula's brother. "Tell me you're alright with this, and... and I'll stand aside. Reluctantly."

Zuko covered his face with his palms, letting out a deep sigh. "I'm **really** not alright with this, Katara," he shook his head. "I would dearly prefer to find some other way." _What are they talking about, anyway? Are they planning to do something to me?_ Despite the defiance she projected outwardly, Azula began to feel anxious.

"Seriously? I thought we all agreed on this already!" the waterbender's useless brother exclaimed. He sounded frustrated.

"Yes, Sokka's right," Aang nodded. "We already established there is no other way. Why are we changing our minds now?"

"I don't know, Aang, but could it be because I'm now here and actually facing the person you've decided to strip of her bending, and I'm starting to understand what that might do to her? And what it would do to Zuko?" Katara retorted sharply.

There were only a few words that Azula took away from the waterbender's little tirade. _Strip away my bending? They want to... take away everything I am?_ Azula had been absolutely terrified when she had learned what Aang had done to her father. It would have been more merciful to kill him. And now he intended to do the same to her? Her knees buckled slightly and she had to fight hard to remain upright and maintain her defiant pose. Her anxiety gave place to fear and panic, and while she tried to fight it, she knew that it showed in her eyes.

At least, the others hadn't noticed the fear that had gripped her. No... that was not true, something had changed in the way Katara was staring at her. Was that sympathy? Whatever it was, Azula hated it. She made sure to avoid eye contact with the waterbender.

"Does that mean you have a plan, sweet-... Katara?" Aang asked.

"King Kuei listens to you, Aang," Katara said. "Surely you can lean on him a little bit and get the Dai Li to back off. Or at least buy us some more time..."

"King Kuei is my friend," Aang frowned. "I don't like the idea of leaning on him... especially not for Azula's sake."

"Why, because removing my sister's bending is easier?" Zuko did not look pleased. At least he seemed to be standing up for her. Why the waterbender cared, Azula had no idea. Maybe it was because she was a bleeding heart do-gooder who believed in world peace and all that rot. Azula had certainly formed that kind of impression of the Southerner girl.

"Alright, fine," Aang sighed. "Even if I managed to convince King Kuei to interfere, what then? She'll just keep escaping again and again, and more people will get injured and killed in the process. We need another solution for Azula, you can't just keep her here, she hasn't improved her behavior one bit!"

"I think we should move her to the North Pole," Katara said firmly. "I know most of the healers in Agna Qel'a. I've trained with many of them myself. I am confident that they will think of something."

"I agree," Zuko nodded. "I think we should try it. But..."

"What is it, Zuko?" Aang asked impatiently. Azula almost felt like the Avatar seemed peeved that he had been denied the opportunity to remove her bending. The little freak had probably been quite looking forward to it.

"I know there are plenty of Earth Kingdom spies lurking about the capital," Zuko mused. "If they caught wind of Azula being transported to the North Pole, she could very well be endangered there as well."

"Hmm, it seems like you need a patented Sokka plan to get out of this pickle, my friends," Katara's ridiculous brother preened proudly as he spoke up. "I believe that what you are looking for in this situation is a decoy."

"Oh?" Zuko's eyebrows rose. "Tell us more, Sokka."

"You leak the rumor that we're taking Azula somewhere else... I don't know, what's the furthest from North Pole. The South Pole, I guess?" Sokka began to explain. "We'll make a big spectacle of taking Azula South on Appa's back. We'll even dress up Katara to look like a Fire Princess! The Dai Li will fall for it hook, line and sinker!"

"Hmm," Zuko mused. "I like the plan, but I was hoping that you would be the ones to bring Azula North. Especially because Katara knows the healers in Agna Qel'a. And I am not certain who among my people I could trust with this mission. I suppose I could ask my Kyoshi bodyguards to handle it and keep Azula chi-blocked throughout the journey."

"I think Aang and Sokka should go South on Appa's back to act like a decoy," Katara spoke decisively. "In the meantime, I'll take Azula North. You're right, Zuko, I need to be there to make sure that my friends in the North know what they're dealing with. And no, I don't think you should send your Kyoshi bodyguards with us. A larger group would only attract more attention."

"Are you crazy?" Aang protested. "We're not leaving you alone with Azula!"

"That does seem to be unwise, Katara," Zuko nodded in agreement.

"You all seem to be forgetting what I am capable of," Katara replied. Azula could not for the life of her figure out what the waterbender had meant, but she could clearly see that the three young men with her suddenly became very uncomfortable. "Only as a last resort, of course. But you should know that I am perfectly fine handling Azula all by myself."

Azula was bristling with anger at that comment, but at the same time, the waterbender's certainty and confidence made her incredibly curious. Sure, Katara had bested her during that fateful Agni Kai with Zuko, but it had been just a moment of ingenuity and quick thinking, not because of superior bending skill. Why would Katara be so certain that she would not simply overpower her and then reclaim her freedom?

"Well... I guess I don't have any rebuttal to that," Sokka gulped. "I guess that means Aang will have to wear one of Azula's dresses to act as a decoy."

"No way," Aang protested. "The people need to see the fake Azula leaving with the Avatar. That means you get to wear a dress, Sokka."

"Let's face it, Sokka, we all know that it comes naturally to you," Katara remarked with a wicked grin. "After all, I've seen you in a dress. That Kyoshi Warrior garb was a perfect fit for you." Azula had to smirk at how the waterbender's brother cringed from embarrassment. It seemed that she also enjoyed tormenting her older brother, which was a point in her favor. _A very small point, of course._

"I think we should use very inconspicuous means of transport for you both," Zuko said, looking at Katara, then glancing at his still defiant looking sister. "Definitely not a cruiser or an airship, that's too much attention. How about a small fishing boat to take you to Republic City?"

"Sounds perfect," Katara nodded. "We can catch up with Aang and Sokka there after they're done leading the Dai Li on a wild turtle-duck chase. Then we can make the rest of the way to the North Pole on Appa's back."

"Alright, I think we have a plan," Aang said, rubbing his hands. "Shall we proceed?"

"Certainly, I'll make sure that you have all the supplies. Katara, I'll need your help to pick out some simple Earth Kingdom dresses for yourself and Azula," Zuko nodded. He then turned towards Azula, still observing them all silently. "Azula? Sister, what do you think of this plan?"

"Why Zuko, so nice of you to ask!" she replied in a lilting tone of voice. "Hmm, a dingy and damp prison cell, or a scenic trip to the North Pole... indeed, what a choice!"

"Fine, I get it," Zuko sighed at her before retreating together with his friends, leaving Azula alone in her cell, still wondering how on earth did Katara intend to keep her from escaping as soon as they were away from the capital. 

* * *

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Roku's Island_

After a full day of sailing the small fishing boat carrying the two unassuming looking young women dressed like simple Earth Kingdom citizens had finally reached the edges of the outer archipelago They had sailed past Shuhon Island an hour ago, and were now coming up to the piece of volcanic rock that was Roku's Island.

Azula had found the journey tolerable up to this point. The small crew of the fishing ship largely left them alone, only interrupting to bring them some food. And while being stuck in a small cabin with the waterbender was obviously not ideal, it wasn't exactly a torture. Azula was grateful that Katara did not feel the need to bother her with inane conversations and instead kept to herself, spending most of her time eyeing the horizon, as if she was expecting some sudden threats to emerge.

And Azula would definitely not be the one to initiate conversation herself. Katara was beneath her, after all. Sure, Katara had beaten her in a fight, Azula had to give her a little bit of respect for that at least. Azula was willing to admit that maybe she didn't hate the waterbender as much as she hated most people. Azula was still very curious about why Katara did not seem at all afraid or intimidated by her. Also, Azula couldn't figure out why the idea of having her bending removed had bothered the waterbender more than it had bothered her own brother. Still, curious as Azula was, she wasn't just going to ask Katara about it. She was sure that the waterbender had some ulterior motive for her actions. And Katara would probably just lie if she asked her about it. That's what Azula would do.

Left to her own devices, Azula could engage in what she did best, and that was to plot. At first she had planned to make her escape as soon as the ship reached the outer archipelago. The ship's crew would put up no resistance, she only had to take out Katara, and while she was very confident about her chances, the fact that they were surrounded by water on all sides gave Azula pause. Perhaps this was not the best environment in which to fight Katara. In the end, she began to lean more and more towards escaping once they had reached Republic City. She had heard stories about the capital of this new nation undergoing rapid growth. Azula was very confident in being able to shake off Katara and then make her escape among the crowds of people. _And what then?_ That was an uncomfortable thought which she had no immediate answer for. She decided to ignore it for now. _One thing at a time, Azula._

With the fall of darkness, Azula could not help but notice that Katara appeared to have become particularly tense as she continued to eye the horizon. Eventually, Azula could no longer hold her tongue and decided to speak up. "Stop your fidgeting," she barked at the waterbender. "It's annoying."

"My apologies, Your Highness," Katara replied.

"You're acting like there's something else you're worried about other than me," Azula remarked.

"If you must know, Princess, I noticed our good captain sending some sort of signals a while ago," Katara explained. "And now it appears that there is another ship approaching us."

"I'll kill those traitors!" Azula exclaimed, jumping up from her cot.

"Settle down!" Katara snapped, immediately moving to block her path. "We need the crew, neither of us are sailors! Perhaps there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for it."

"Then let's go and ask them," Azula insisted.

"Fine," Katara finally admitted. She led the way outside their cabin, deep in the hold of the ship. By the time they climbed onto the deck, the other ship had already come alongside their little boat, dwarfing it with its size. Several grim looking men were in the process of boarding the ship, all of them dressed alike, in the dark robes of the Dai Li.

"Princess Azula, so good to see you again," one of the Dai Li agents bowed to her mockingly. "We'll be happy to have you with us in the Earth Kingdom so very soon. I trust you will not stand in the way of the lawful arrest of this criminal, Master Katara?" he looked at the waterbender.

Azula was not interested in waiting for Katara's answer. She just wanted to melt that infuriating smirk off from the Dai Li agent's face. She wanted to burn them all in an inferno of cleansing fire. She raised her arms, ready to incinerate the Dai Li, but suddenly found her hands encased in a block of ice. "You bitch!" she shouted at Katara, quickly calling on her firebending to melt the ice, but it all cost her precious time.

The Dai Li jumped into action now, and the ice that had been encasing her hands was instantly replaced by the rock gloves of the skilled earthbenders, preventing her from bending. Azula cursed at how sluggish and rusty she felt after the many years in captivity, denied any opportunities to practice. Just because she was a firebending prodigy, it didn't mean that she hadn't worked tremendous amount of hours to perfect her craft. But now, when faced with opponents that at her best she would wipe the floor with, Azula could only seethe in helpless rage as they overpowered her in short order. Caught glaring angrily at the traitorous waterbender, she didn't even notice something colliding with her temples and forcing her to black out.

* * *

Azula awoke from a sharp tremor running through the entirety of the Dai Li ship, carrying her back to the Earth Kingdom and whatever tortures the robed freaks undoubtedly had in store for her. She found her arms and legs tightly clasped in manacles, and on top of that, she had been tied up so firmly with a rope that she couldn't move a muscle. Azula could only lay on the cold floor of the brig, cursing this stupid plan Zuko had approved of, and most of all, cursing that traitorous waterbender bitch who had helped the Dai Li.

She could not understand Katara's motivations at all. Of course, it made sense that the waterbender would want her to suffer, Azula had caused her plenty of grief over the years. But why would Katara then propose this complicated plan just to hand her over to the Dai Li? Why not just enjoy watching the Avatar remove her bending and destroy everything that she was? None of this made any sense.

Azula's musings were cut short as another tremor rocked the Dai Li ship. The whole vessel appeared to come to a halt for some reason. No, it was even worse. The ship was starting to tilt over to one side, and Azula found herself rolling along the cold floor of the brig, crashing heavily into the wall. _What the fuck is going on? Don't these Dai Li idiots know how to steer a ship? Oh... oh no,_ Azula suddenly realized with growing horror that the ship was starting to take on water. She was slowly becoming submerged in the cold water, while remaining immobile and incapable of saving herself. Pride or not, she began to shout for help, but it did not appear as if anyone would be coming for her.

The water level continued to rise inescapably, and as much as she tried to rear her head, it was slowly starting to submerge her entirely. As Azula struggled to keep herself afloat, she became aware of something tearing at the ship's hull, but she could not afford to pay much attention to it, she was in a fight for her life. _I can't believe it will end like this! Tied up and helpless in the brig of a Dai Li ship! This is too humiliating!_ Azula raged helplessly, to no avail. Massive tears appeared in the hull and water started to pour in rapidly, quickly swallowing Azula.

As water slowly filled her lungs, Azula began to black out. She retained just enough consciousness to feel something powerful snatching her up and dragging her away from the broken hull of the ship, through the water, finally lifting her up and above the waves, a massive tentacle made out of pure water gently lowering her onto a large sheet of ice. Coughing and struggling to breathe, Azula fought against her restraints, but then she felt all the water in her lungs suddenly being dragged out, swiftly removed by waterbending, making it possible for her to breathe normally again.

"I'm sorry, I know that was really unpleasant," she recognized Katara's voice, the waterbender sounding apologetic. "Still, this was the best plan I could come up with on a short notice."

"You..." Azula began, still feeling very weak. She didn't even know what to say. Katara had betrayed her only to rescue her later? That made no sense. In any case, the waterbender had just saved her from an especially unpleasant death by drowning. All things considered, Azula most certainly did not hate Katara at this particular moment.

"Yes, me," Katara looked down into her face, smiling. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Princess. Better get used to that thought."


	3. Chapter 3

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Mo Ce Sea_

"You're going to keep me bound like the Dai Li for the rest of the way?" Azula glared at her rescuer as they floated on the large sheet of ice in the relatively calm waters of the Mo Ce Sea.

"I'm sorry, I merely thought that removing water from your lungs should take precedence, Princess," Katara replied, making Azula frown at her impudent tone. Using her bending, Katara created another tentacle of water, it's tip frozen and sharp like a razor, using it to cut the ropes that bound Azula's body. The princess forced herself to remain calm and unmoving, not wanting to be sliced by accident, though Katara seemed to be taking great care not to injure her. Before Azula could even ask whether Katara would remove her manacles as well, the razor-sharp ice lance had cut through them, leaving the princess free from any restraints.

"Now you can tell me what the fuck you were up to with that... rescue plan of yours," Azula snapped, rising to her feet.

"What do you mean, Azula?" Katara asked her, looking directly at the princess.

_Weird how I had never noticed just how blue her eyes are. Probably a water peasant thing. Nobody in the Fire Nation has eyes like that. I guess that little traitor Ty Lee also has eyes as wide and expressive, but not of this color._ But what really bugged Azula about Katara's eyes was how penetrative her stare was. It made Azula feel as if Katara was able to look deep inside her, and it made her feel extremely uncomfortable. "Azula?" Katara asked again. "What do you want to know about my rescue plan?"

"What?" Azula snapped out of her thoughts, quickly turning away from Katara's stare, feeling embarrassed and angry for getting distracted. "I mean... if you didn't want the Dai Li to take me, we could have just taken them out when they boarded that little fishing boat. Why go through all this elaborate charade?"

"A fair question," Katara nodded at her. "There were a lot of them, and I simply was not certain of our chances. But I knew that I would have an easy time sinking their ship later, when I had the element of surprise on my side and they had no way to retaliate." The waterbender pointed at the sky above them. "Not to mention that tonight is full moon and my power is at its greatest."

"Right, and your fabulous plan nearly got me killed," Azula frowned.

"I knew exactly where you were the whole time, Azula," Katara smiled at her. "Don't worry, I wouldn't have endangered your life needlessly like that. I would never do that to Zuko."

"Pfft, like he cares about what happens to me," Azula scowled.

"You know he does," Katara sighed.

"Right, I'm sure," Azula shrugged. "Well, maybe next time just warn me in advance if you're about to pulls some crazy shit like that."

"Sorry, but there was no time for that, Azula," Katara offered apologetically. "Besides, it would have required for you to trust me. Would you do that?"

"What kind of a stupid question is that, of course I can't trust you," Azula laughed. "I don't even know why you would go along with this entire... plan of yours, but I'm sure you have something nasty in mind for me."

"That is completely ridiculous, but once again, even if I told you the truth of why I am helping you, you would never believe me," Katara sighed in resignation. "So, I think I just won't bother wasting my breath."

"Good," Azula nodded at her. For a while they just stood there, stubborn defiance oozing from them both. "Ugh," Azula finally gave up with a grunt, starting to pace back and forth along the large block of ice, serving as their transport. "Did you at least take care of those traitorous sailors who betrayed us to the Dai Li?" she eventually asked.

"I did not sink them to the bottom of the ocean together with their ship, if that's what you're asking," Katara replied. "But as soon as we reach Republic City, I'm going to inform Zuko about their actions in a letter."

"You're such a boring do-gooder, aren't you?" Azula smirked. "Never letting yourself to have any fun."

"Pfft," Katara scowled. "I had plenty of fun sinking that Dai Li vessel, thank you very much. I'm quite sure not all of them made it to the lifeboats in time."

"Ah, right," Azula coughed, feeling a little embarrassed. She was having so much fun baiting Katara that she had completely forgotten about her sinking the Dai Li ship. "Well done, I guess." She then realized something, snapping her fingers. "Wait, did you say that you're going to send Zuko a letter from Republic City?"

"That's what I said, yes," Katara nodded.

"But the Dai Li surely know that Republic City is our destination," Azula said. "I mean, I'm completely fine with burning them by the dozens, but you seem like someone who might not be comfortable with that."

"Hmm..." Katara appeared thoughtful. "I hate to say it, Azula, but you bring up a good point. Republic City is probably swarming with Dai Li agents by now. I am not afraid of facing them, but... why fight a battle when you don't have to? Besides, innocent citizens could be caught up in the middle of it all."

"Exactly, so we can't go to Republic City," Azula nodded. "See, isn't it so nice when we can agree on something?" she added with fake sweetness.

"I'm still taking you to the North Pole, Azula," Katara looked at her sternly. "Don't even think for a moment that you can wriggle out of that."

"You are very confident of that, waterbender," Azula stepped up to Katara, drawing herself up challengingly. "I wonder what exactly makes you so certain."

"Believe me, Azula, you will not enjoy finding out," Katara replied in an even tone. Much to Azula's surprise and frustration, the waterbender hadn't even flinched at the threatening expression in Azula's eyes, a glare that would intimidate most people who were not suicidal. She just simply could not figure out how and why Katara was completely unafraid of her. The sheer gall of it all really ruffled Azula's feathers.

"But if we fought, surely I could use the fact that you would try to go easy on me," Azula pointed out. "You admitted that already when you said that you couldn't let anything bad happen to me because my big brother would become so very sad."

"Don't worry, I have a way to disable you without hurting you... too much," Katara smirked. Azula could not believe it, but not only was Katara unafraid, now she was baiting her! What did this girl think, that she could insult a Fire Nation princess like that? Still, Katara's supreme confidence worried Azula just a little bit. Azula also knew that she was not in her best firebending shape, and that it would take some intense practicing over the course of several weeks for her to get back into shape. It was so frustrating to be subjected to these taunts of this lowly waterbender and not being able to do anything about it, but for now, Azula supposed she had to just suffer through it. She had other ways to mess with Katara, after all. Azula always found some way of getting to people. Katara was no different from others, she just needed to find the right buttons to push.

"Hmph," Azula finally looked away. "Fine, I'll play along," she snorted, crossing arms on her chest.

"Good," Katara nodded at her. "I know a few smaller settlements south of Republic City. Those should be perfectly safe." The drifting block of ice changed the direction it had been swimming in ever so slightly, Azula realizing that Katara had been guiding it along all this time with her waterbending. Maybe Katara's element wasn't so completely useless after all. It was annoying to admit, but being stuck out on the open sea, there was not much use for her firebending in her current circumstances.

"I'm glad you're seeing reason," Azula smirked at the other girl.

"I'm sure you're delighted about it," Katara smiled thinly. "Now I just need to figure out how to contact Aang and Sokka when they return to Republic City. I would prefer to travel North on Appa's back than by some other means."

"Mhm," Azula nodded absentmindedly, already plotting ahead. She definitely did not want the Avatar catching up with them. That would make her escape very difficult, if not impossible. She needed to somehow ditch Katara before they had reunited with the Avatar. Or... ideally, maybe she could convince Katara to go along with what she wanted. The trouble was... Azula wasn't yet certain of what she wanted to do with her long-coveted freedom.

* * *

_5 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Republic City_

Katara's right hand gripped tightly at the headboard of the bed, her left palm cupping and squeezing her own breast as a throaty purr escaped her lips. Her long, disheveled hair fell into her face like a curtain, but she did not care. The only thing she cared about at that moment was how amazing Azula's tongue felt against her clit.

Through the first few awkward weeks of their physical intimacy, Katara had quickly learned all she needed to know about Azula as a lover. She had been a little worried that Azula's inherent selfishness would make her too focused on her own pleasure and neglectful to Katara's needs, but fortunately for Katara, Azula was also extremely prideful and Katara by now knew perfectly well how to use it to her advantage. It took only the briefest mention of how she had been worried that Azula might be too selfish to make for a great sexual partner. Azula immediately jumped at the chance to prove Katara otherwise, and she did so with her usual fiery passion and determined drive.

Across the following weeks and months, Azula had patiently observed and studied just how to satisfy Katara better, her pride wounded just by the slightest insinuation that she might not be the absolute best at something. The end result of Katara's subtle manipulation was that every time she and Azula made love, she could be absolutely certain of having all her needs taken care of before they drifted off to sleep. Azula's pride and honor demanded it, there could be no other way.

As it was, Azula was the perfect student when she set her mind on mastering something. Everything about what she did with her tongue was just perfect, the light pressure, the cadence with which it circled Katara's swollen clit. It was hard to keep herself in check when Azula truly set to her task, especially when the fingers of her left hand teased Katara's breast so delightfully. There was only one way in which the entire experience could be improved, and Katara's mind was spinning merely thinking about it.

"Babe, I think I'm just about ready for your fingers," Katara moaned, feeling a tremor of anticipation passing through Azula's body from the invitation. She always got so extremely turned on from bringing Katara to orgasm, in the aftermath it took very little to get Azula off as well.

Katara threw her head backwards and cried out as she felt two of Azula's long and elegant digits penetrating her extremely soaked folds. She loved how Azula always used her firebending to adjust her body temperature to match Katara's, so that the fingers entering her did not feel cold and clammy, instead they felt just right as Azula picked up a slow and steady rhythm of thrusts.

Katara loved the fact that she did not have to hold back. Having a private estate all to themselves in Republic City meant that they didn't have to worry about any meddlesome neighbors complaining about their erotic escapades. Katara could be as loud as she wanted to be, and by the spirits, when Azula fucked her like this, she just couldn't help herself from getting pretty damn loud, especially when she knew just how much her cries served to arouse Azula as well.

When Azula removed her hand from Katara's breast, the waterbender knew perfectly well why her lover had done that. Forcing herself to rear her head just a little, dazedly peering through the curtain of her hair, Katara could see that perfect ass of her lover slightly raised upward as Azula's left hand now moved frantically between her own spread legs, trying to push herself to an orgasm together with Katara.

That sight alone was too much for Katara. With a strangled cry, she allowed her head to tumble backwards as the first wave of an encroaching culmination hit her so indescribably hard. Colorful circles spun before her closed eyes as her passion crested, but Azula simply kept going, undeterred, shaking with her own orgasm nearing, never stopping from her task of giving pleasure to her lover.

Another wave of intense and overwhelming pleasure followed soon, then the third, Katara's voice breaking, her chest rising and falling powerfully. From the powerful contractions seizing her body, Katara guessed that she was making quite a mess of the sheets, but she couldn't give a damn. If Azula didn't set the sheets on fire, then she would just clean them by waterbending later.

By the time she called out for Azula to stop, Katara had lost the count of the peaks and falls of the ride her lover had taken her on. Through her half-lidded eyes, with the room still spinning slightly, Katara looked down her sweat soaked body to stare into the face of her lover. Azula's wild beauty always took her breath away, but never more so than during their moments of intimacy. The way she looked now, flushed deep crimson, the lower part of her face glistening with Katara's juices, Azula was incredible. There was a look of wild desperation in Azula's eyes as her fingers still worked her swollen clit, and when their eyes finally met, it seemed to serve as the final push to get Azula over the edge. With an exhausted cry, her body shuddered and she tumbled forward, collapsing on top of Katara's hips.

Katara wasted no time in leaning downward to seize Azula and pull her up and on top of herself. She kissed Azula's damp brow before they began to exchange full open-mouthed kisses, both slowly coming down from their highs, exhausted. "I love how you just can't help yourself, Princess," Katara smiled lovingly at Azula. "What would the others think if they knew what a needy little slut you are, babe."

"I'd have to kill them all," Azula purred contently, happy to just lay there, be kissed and held.

"But they'll never know what you're really like, my Princess," Katara whispered to her. "That's just for us two to know and share. For always and forever."

"Damn right," Azula smiled sleepily, slowly starting to drift off.

"Sometimes I still can't believe that I got you to take that chance and put your trust in me, Zula," Katara smiled softly. "It was a miracle. A wonder that I'll never betray."

"I know..." Azula replied. "I'm just as shocked that I was even able to trust someone. But I'm glad it's you. Because I know you'll never betray my trust."

"I won't," Katara spoke earnestly. "I love you, Zula."

"Love you, Kat," Azula smiled at her, letting a yawn escape past her lips. "Sleep now?"

"Sleep now, babe," Katara chuckled, as the two of them drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Mount Makapu_

By the time they reached the large volcanic island just off the eastern shore of Mo Ce Sea, Azula had finally come up with a plan. Honestly, she was a little surprised that she hadn't thought of it immediately. The Dai Li were after her, and it didn't seem that they had any intention of stopping. Perhaps Katara thought that they could either ignore or evade them, but that was not Azula's style. Fleeing from this shadowy earthbending cabal like a whipped dog, Azula's honor would not allow it. No, she needed to go after them and eradicate this threat for good.

That meant traveling to Ba Sing Se and tracking down the source of this plot against her. Obviously, Katara would oppose this idea of hers, which left Azula with only two options. Either she took Katara down and went at it all by herself, or she actually managed to convince the waterbender to go along with her plan. Obviously, it wasn't as if she needed Katara, Azula was perfectly fine dealing with the Dai Li all by herself. But all things considered, fighting Katara was not in her best interests. Azula freely admitted that she wasn't at her best, and while it irritated her to even make such an admission, she knew that the outcome of her duel with Katara was not at all certain.

Besides, Katara was extremely determined to get her to the North Pole. Azula realized that she would probably have to do some serious damage to take Katara out. Leaving the waterbender severely injured or worse, was... well, that would not bode well for Azula. Her boyfriend would most likely freak out, and as much as she had enjoyed kicking Aang's bony little airbender ass in the past, she definitely did not want to be on the Avatar's shit-list now.

So, this was where Azula's new plan left her. She would first try to convince Katara that they should head to Ba Sing Se instead of the North Pole. If that didn't work, well... perhaps this was always meant to end in a bending duel. As Azula was still putting together the last few details of her plot, Katara was standing nearby with her feet firmly planted in the fine sand of the beach of the volcanic island. The waterbender was looking around with a slight smile playing on her lips, as if the surroundings held some pleasant memories for her.

"We need to talk," Azula wasted no time as she walked up to the other girl.

"What is it, Azula?" Katara looked at her inquiringly.

"We're not going to the North Pole," Azula stated.

"Not this again," Katara sighed. She widened her stance, preparing herself for waterbending if necessary.

"Just hear me out first, will you?" Azula glared at her. "Look, I can't just leave these Dai Li attacks without any response. I know how they operate and I know they won't stop hounding us. Do you think their reach for some reason won't extend to the North?"

"Between the two of us, I'm quite sure we can handle everything the Dai Li throw at us," Katara shrugged.

"And how long do you intend to play this role of my guardian?" Azula snorted. "Because the Dai Li don't rescind their orders until they're completed."

Katara frowned slightly, but said nothing, deep in thought. "I'll ask Aang to look into it," she eventually replied.

"Like he cares what the Dai Li want with me," Azula laughed. "Look, they have insulted me with their attacks! I should be the one to respond! My honor demands it!"

"Your honor demands," Katara smiled. "Where have I heard that before? You know, maybe you and Zuko aren't so different after all."

"Ugh, you completely missed the point I was trying to make!" Azula threw her arms in the air, frustrated.

"I know," Katara smirked. "I will admit, you do bring up a point I have been considering. The Dai Li have not been interested in you for four years, but suddenly there has been a renewed interest. I wonder what could be the reason for it."

"I'm pretty sure I have a good idea," Azula shrugged. "There's only one man among the Dai Li who holds a special grudge for me. Only he could be behind such targeted effort to take me down."

"You mean Long Feng?" Katara gasped, Azula nodding at her. "That can't be right. He was barred from ever again holding office! He was supposed to go into retirement and become a chicken farmer in some remote village in the southern Earth Kingdom!"

"Ah, poor naive waterbender, you have no idea how secret societies and networks operate, do you," Azula chuckled at the other girl. "I'm sure it has taken him a while to restore his influence among the Dai Li once again, but I'll bet my royal title that it's him pulling strings from the shadows once again."

"You could be right, Azula," Katara admitted reluctantly. "I hate to say it, but Earth King Kuei is not the most... inspiring or decisive leader. He probably wouldn't even notice it if Long Feng was manipulating him yet again."

"Exactly," Azula nodded, sensing her chance to convince Katara. "See, this is why you should let me go to Ba Sing Se. I'll take care of Long Feng. You should want that, right? I mean, if he's still running around and causing problems, manipulating the Earth King, that's also on you and the Avatar, right? You probably thought you had resolved that issue for good, but you clearly haven't."

"Yes, if Long Feng and the Dai Li are putting pressure on King Kuei, and if Long Feng seeks personal vendetta against you, then we should stop it," Katara frowned. "But if I were to agree with this Ba Sing Se plan, don't even dream that I would let you go there alone. If I were to agree, I'd be going along. Like you said, it's my responsibility to make sure that Long Feng causes no more trouble."

Azula barely restrained herself from breaking out in a victorious smile, feeling like she had succeeded at convincing Katara. Sure, she still insisted on coming along, but... well, maybe that was not the worst outcome. Azula would have preferred to travel on her own, but perhaps some extra bending power might come in handy when it came to facing dozens and dozens of earthbenders on their turf. She knew that Katara could hold her own in a battle, and she had probably improved further since their last confrontation, while Azula had to admit that her skills had stagnated and become rusty with the lack of exercise.

Not to mention that Katara actually didn't seem like a particularly annoying traveling companion, something that surprised Azula a great deal. She had endured Ty Lee's airheaded chatter and Mai's insufferable indifference and constant sighs over the years. Katara actually seemed like an improvement over her former friends, turned traitors. Katara kept quiet for the most part, and when she spoke, it was always about something related to practical concerns. Katara seemed like someone who was very focused on what she was doing, and that sat just fine with Azula.

"So?" Azula asked a while later when Katara still appeared to be deep in thought. "Ba Sing Se it is?"

"I think we should wait for Aang and Sokka to return," Katara's reply surprised her. Azula hadn't expected this. Needless to say, this was not to her benefit. "They would want to be a part of this, I'm sure."

"That's... that's a terrible idea, Katara," Azula had to think quickly. The waterbender gave her a curious stare. "This should be a stealth mission. Infiltration. You know, similar to how I conquered Ba Sing Se," she added with a proud grin. "The Avatar attracts way too much attention. If the Dai Li spot him or your bison, Long Feng and his fellow conspirators will just disappear in a puff of smoke."

"Hmm," Katara frowned. Azula could see that she was struggling to go along with what she was proposing, obviously suspecting Azula of some kind of secret ploy. She was correct, of course.

"With a bit of makeup, the two of us will appear like simple and unassuming Earth Kingdom ladies," Azula added quickly.

"Alright," Katara eventually nodded. "I'll agree to your proposal on one condition. After we are done in Ba Sing Se, you will follow me to the North Pole with no further arguments."

"Ugh... fine, I agree," Azula made sure to appear reluctant when she spoke. Obviously, she had no intention of ever going to the North Pole. It should be easier than easy to dump Katara once she no longer needed her support in Ba Sing Se. "We're quite a way from Ba Sing Se, aren't we," she added conversationally.

"You could say that again," Katara nodded. "We'll need plenty of supplies for the road, but fortunately your brother was kind enough to provide me with money," she patted a particularly thick money belt around her waist. "Do you recognize the mountain?" she pointed at the large volcano nearby.

"Mount Makapu, right?" Azula smirked.

"Exactly, which means we're close to Aunt Wu's village," Katara smiled. "Let's pay the villagers a visit and get ourselves resupplied."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Katara found herself sitting in a free stall at the nearby market, busy compiling a letter addressed to Fire Lord Zuko. In order to be able to gather her thoughts, she had given Azula some of the money and asked her to secure specific supplies for their journey east, ensuring that she would have time to write the later without Azula bothering her or peering over her shoulder. Now that she had agreed to Azula's plan to travel to Ba Sing Se, Katara knew that she no longer had to fear about Azula trying to escape. No, Azula firmly believed that she had managed to completely convince Katara and sell the idea to her.

Obviously, nothing could be farther from the truth. Of course, Katara was also interested in stopping Long Feng if he truly was behind these attempts on Azula's life. But Katara was absolutely certain that there was more to Azula's plan than the princess had shared with her. She knew she could not trust anything out of Azula's mouth. At some point, Azula would probably try to spring some surprise on her, and she needed to be ready for it, but most likely it would come only after they had dealt with the Dai Li.

Was she taking too many risks by agreeing to Azula's plan? Probably. However, with great risks came great opportunities. They would spend many weeks, even months, on the road to Ba Sing Se. If Katara could use it to learn more about how Azula's mind worked, perhaps even forge some kind of bond with the princess, surely it would all be extremely helpful in her eventual healing process. Katara felt like this was a risk she was almost obliged to take.

So far, things had worked out even better than she had hoped... well, aside from their initial plan of traveling to Republic City getting derailed. She had expected Azula to be more aggressive and confrontational, but thus far, it hadn't been too bad. She felt like Azula was in the process of probing her for some weak points, something to use against her. Just because the princess had been somewhat amiable up to this point definitely did not mean that Katara could lower her guard.

Katara still felt a little surreal about the whole situation in which she found herself. Did she truly believe that Azula could be healed, even redeemed? It seemed laughable at face value, yet, hadn't she felt the same about Zuko for the longest while? Azula had done terrible things, certainly, she had nearly killed both Aang and Zuko, and yet... Katara had never harbored the kind of deep, personal hatred she held against Zuko after he had betrayed them in the Crystal Catacombs. After she had personally reached out to him and felt them establish a bond, what Zuko had done felt unforgivable, and she had struggled to forgive him for so very long. She disliked Azula for the horrible things she had done, but emotionally it felt on a different level. And if she had been able to forgive Zuko, did that mean that she could potentially forgive Azula as well?

Frowning, Katara shook her head, forcing herself to return to the letter she was compiling for Zuko. She had already described their first encounter with the Dai Li and asked him to apprehend the crew of the fishing ship that had sold Azula out to the Dai Li. She continued the letter, describing that they would now be taking a detour on their way to the North Pole because Republic City was likely teeming with the Dai Li agents.

Katara chewed on her lower lip, pondering whether to tell Zuko that their detour would involve traveling all the way to Ba Sing Se to confront the Dai Li and discover whether Long Feng was in any way involved with this conspiracy. In the end, Katara decided against mentioning it. She knew it would only serve to make Zuko worried, and with everything the young Fire Lord already had on his plate, Katara did not want to add to that. He would just freak out about her and Azula's safety, and probably also worry about them causing a disastrous diplomatic incident in Ba Sing Se. Which was probably a likely outcome, all things considered...

She was still wondering whether to add anything else to the short letter before seeking out someone to deliver it, when an approaching figure blocked out the sunlight, forcing Katara to look upwards and instantly recognize the intruder. The elderly grey-haired lady had so much makeup on her face that Katara wondered whether she was planning to enlist as a Kyoshi Warrior.

"Well, well, if it isn't a familiar face?" Auntie Wu smiled kindly at her. "You're that girl who was traveling with the young Avatar, aren't you? Katara, I believe."

"I'm flattered that you still remember me, Auntie Wu," Katara smiled at the elderly woman. Charlatan though she was, Katara never begrudged her too much, there was no direct malice to her actions as far as Katara was concerned. She did not charge money and did not rob the villagers of their hard-earned coins, after all.

"With how many times you called on me, it was impossible not to memorize your name," Aunt Wu chuckled.

"Yes, I suppose I was a little obsessed with your readings," Katara admitted. "How are you, Aunt Wu? The villagers have not chased you off with pitchforks, so I'm guessing they still hold you in high esteem?"

"And for a good reason," Aunt Wu grinned at her. "My readings always come true, after all. At least that's what the villagers say, and who am I to argue?"

"Please, Aunt Wu, I know you only told me what I wanted to hear," Katara snorted.

"Certainly, I did rearrange some parts of your reading," Aunt Wu admitted. "But most of it will come true, mark my words, young Katara."

"Right," Katara laughed. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me which part of the reading will come true and which part won't."

"The part that you will marry a powerful bender will come true sooner or later, Katara," Aunt Wu smiled knowingly at her. "But when I told you what a great man he would be, and how many children you would have together, I merely told you what all girls at that age want to hear. The truth is that the powerful bender I saw you marrying in my reading wasn't even a man."

With a quiet chuckle, Aunt Wu walked away, leaving Katara sitting there with a completely astonished look on her face.


	5. Chapter 5

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Makapu Village_

Having spent the night in Aunt Wu's village, the unlikely pair set out on their epic journey soon after the break of dawn. The local inn had no other visitors, so they had been able to rent a room each without having to annoy one another with their presence. Katara had been a little worried that she would have to wait endlessly until the pampered princess was ready to travel, but in the end, they had both emerged from their rooms at the exact same time.

After some light breakfast at the inn, consumed in silence, the pair were finally on their way. Traveling on foot, which was a daunting prospect in itself, meant that they had to travel relatively light when it came to the supplies. The day before, they had argued whether to purchase tents or not. Katara had thought that they could buy a single larger tent and share it, but Azula had vehemently argued against sharing with a lowly water peasant. Then Katara had suggested to buy two smaller tents with both of them carrying their own, but Azula had taken one look at the heavy and cumbersome tent before announcing that she was no pack animal and that Katara would just have to carry both tents, something that Katara had no intention of doing. Katara had to admit that Azula's tantrums could be more than a little frustrating, but at the same time there was something amusing about the princess acting like a spoilt brat.

Fortunately, and this was something that Katara was privately thankful for, Azula had possessed the foresight to also purchase a detailed map of the Earth Kingdom. Having studied it, the princess announced that they should be able to pick a route that would allow them to travel from one settlement to another without needing to spend a single night under open sky. Katara was a little doubtful about this optimistic assumption, but she was forced to trust Azula on this occasion. It was not something she liked to admit, especially not to Azula, who would most definitely mock her relentlessly, but Katara had real difficulties reading a map. It wasn't something she had been taught at the South Pole, and what little she had picked up, Katara had learned by glancing over Sokka's shoulder during their travels.

It didn't take them much time to cross the volcanic island dominated by Mount Makapu. Once they reached the eastern shore, Katara quickly shaped another raft of ice to carry them across the narrow strait to the mainland. They now found themselves in what was the very southeastern part of the newly founded United Republic of Nations, a large peninsula forming the eastern coast of Yue Bay. The day before, when planning out their journey, they had considered cutting straight across the peninsula to save time, but in the end, they had both agreed that it made little sense. The forests were thick and dangerous, and there were barely any beaten paths, nor any settlements they could spend the night. It made a lot more sense to stick to the more populated shoreline and travel along the coast, dotted with many fishing villages that would allow them to resupply.

As they walked, mostly in silence, Katara's thoughts were inescapably pulled back to her conversation with Aunt Wu, and the parting words of the fortune teller which had confused her greatly. Her sleep had been restless the previous night as she had stared at the ceiling of her room, wondering what Aunt Wu could have meant by her words. It was nonsense, of course, Katara knew that by now, however… there was still a part of her that wanted to believe that someone in this world might possess the abilities that Aunt Wu claimed to have.

It just seemed so ridiculous that she could fall in love with a powerful bender who wasn't even a man. It wasn't like Katara actually knew a lot of female benders she would call truly powerful. There was Toph, of course, but... even thinking about that made Katara feel all wrong and unpleasant. Toph was like the little sister of their tightly knit group... rebellious, confrontational and occasionally frustrating little sister, but still very much loved by them all. The only other powerful female bender Katara could think of was her current travel companion, but the thought alone made her laugh. If there was anything Katara and Azula shared, it was the mutual dislike they held for each other.

Until Aunt Wu had shocked her the day before, Katara hadn't even considered the possibility of having a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend. The entire concept as such hadn't crossed her mind. As she thought about it, she didn't feel as if she disliked the idea on principle. She wanted to be with someone she loved, someone who loved her back with equal fervor. Did their gender matter? She supposed that it didn't, but considering that all her previous crushes had all been boys, the possibility that she would suddenly crush on some girl seemed silly and unlikely.

Katara had noticed a few same gender couples during their travels across the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, but they had been a rare occurrence and she hadn't paid them any special attention. Katara tried to think whether she had ever seen it happen in the Water Tribes, but she could not think of ever having witnessed it. Perhaps it made sense. Life at the Poles was harsh, mortality was higher than average, including among infants. The women of the Water Tribes were expected to marry early and produce plenty of children, it was essential for the survival of her people. Katara couldn't help but wonder what happened with women who were not romantically attracted to men. Did they still force themselves to marry and have children for the good of the tribe? Were they coerced? Or perhaps they were exiled? These were uncomfortable questions that she had never thought about while growing up, but now they were starting to bother her, all because of Aunt Wu's ridiculous comments.

She would be turning nineteen soon. Katara suddenly had to wonder whether her family also had such expectations of her. Her father had looked devastated when she had announced her breakup with Aang. Was it because he had expected her and Aang to produce plenty of healthy offspring? She couldn't help but frown at the thought. Yes, it was true that the war had left populations reeling across the entire world, and they had to rebuild their numbers, especially the Water Tribes... and she did like the idea of eventually giving birth and becoming a mother. But at the same time, she hated the idea of doing it because it was expected of her. She wanted it to be her own decision, once she felt ready and wanted for it to happen.

Katara almost laughed aloud when she tried to imagine what her family would say about Aunt Wu's amended reading. Their reactions would probably range from getting a stroke to blowing up in righteous anger. She decided to humor herself and imagined introducing Azula as her girlfriend to her family. The imagined look on Sokka's face almost made her giggle like a little girl. As the mental images of her shocked family members slowly faded away, the vision of her and Azula standing side by side for some reason remained, lingering.

 _Hmm... I suppose she could have beautiful eyes, if she didn't always glare like that, or set her face in that cruel scowl. She and Zuko have the same golden eyes, intense and passionate. Maybe if she learned to smile, the way Zuko has learned... his eyes shine with so much warmth when he smiles._ She tried to imagine Azula smiling the way Zuko sometimes smiled at her. The conclusion was easy to make. Smiling would definitely make Azula look very pretty. _Hmm, and I suppose her jaw line is also interesting... delicate, but also projecting strength, always set in such determination..._

"What?" Azula suddenly snapped, making Katara jump slightly. "Do I have something on my face?" the princess glared at her.

"No, of course not," Katara recovered quickly. Azula's appearance was impeccable, as always, Katara knew her to be an obsessive perfectionist.

"Then stop staring at me like that," Azula frowned. "Bloody weird water peasant."

Katara didn't know quite how to respond, feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught staring, so she felt grateful for some fellow travelers appearing around the bend of the coastal road they were traveling along. She became considerably less thankful for the interruption as soon as she realized who these travelers were, a group of grim earthbenders wearing the black and dark green robes of the Dai Li.

"Excellent," Azula's expression shifted to a predatory grin as she discarded her belongings and cracked her fingers, preparing to firebend their ambushers to kingdom come. "I've been quite looking forward to this," she chuckled confidently, letting loose with jets of blue flames, the Dai Li scrambling to protect themselves.

Immersed in their bending to quickly scatter the attacking earthbenders, both Azula and Katara missed the commotion behind their backs until it was too late. They both quickly swiveled around and ended up staring at the snout of a massive snarling animal. Before Azula could react, its long tongue lashed out and slapped her across the face. The princess slumped to the ground almost instantly, paralyzed by the whip-like tongue of the shirshu.

"June!" Katara cried out, trying to think quickly. "I'm not with Azula, I was just escorting her!"

June stared at her from the back of her loyal mount, Nyla. "Oh really?" the bounty huntress looked amused. "Unfortunately for you, the Dai Li know that you sunk their battleship," she exclaimed. Realizing that her deception had failed, Katara tried to defend herself with a barrier of ice, but she was too late with it, and Nyla's tongue slapped her hard across the face. Moments later, she lay prone in the gravel, right next to the helplessly glaring Azula.

"Well, don't you two make for an excellent catch," June laughed, watching as the Dai Li agents quickly secured Azula and Katara by tying them up so tightly that they could hardly breathe, then throwing them onto Nyla's back for transportation. "The Fire Lord's sister and the Fire Lord's girlfriend, like two birds with one stone…"

* * *

Azula was not in a good mood, to put it mildly. For the second time in two days, she found herself manacled and bound tightly, this time a gag also stuffed into her mouth for good measure. She had endured a humiliating ride to the Dai Li encampment, bouncing on the back of the shirshu next to Katara, having to suffer all sorts of demeaning comments from the irritating earthbenders. Back at the Dai Li camp, they had been unceremoniously dumped inside one of the tents and left there, bound and helpless, unable to move a limb.

The Dai Li simply left them there ignored until the nightfall, at which point the flaps of the tent parted and in stepped the irritating bounty huntress Katara had referred to as June. The smug smirk on her pretty face irritating Azula to no end, and she instinctively began to struggle against her bonds, desperate to teach this June a lesson she would never forget. The bounty huntress merely laughed at Azula's attempts to free herself and proceeded to address Katara, the waterbender also tied up tightly, but at least she hadn't been manacled and gagged. The Dai Li rightly didn't view her as a much of a threat.

"Sorry about all this unpleasantness," June grinned at Katara in a way that suggested she wasn't very apologetic at all. "But a job is a job. I hope you know that this is not in any way personal."

"I'm sure it isn't," Katara replied coldly. "How did you even track us?"

"The Dai Li have acquired several items of clothing your angry little friend had worn in the past," June smirked as she threw another amused glance at Azula. "They really have a long reach, you know. And they pay well."

"Whatever they are paying, Fire Lord Zuko will pay you double that," Katara offered. Azula hoped that she was wrong. She hated the idea of her brother making deals with the Dai Li on her behalf. Deals were worth making only with one's equals, and the Dai Li were anything but equals.

"I'm sure he would, but I have my reputation to think about," June shrugged. "If word goes out that I'm someone who betrays her employers... no, thank you, but I'll pass on your kind offer."

"You might come to regret that decision," Katara warned, but June appeared unimpressed. Azula wasn't surprised at all. Katara had no clue how to intimidate people. "Do you know what they have in store for us?" Katara asked, obviously trying to extract more information from June.

"I'm not privy to their plans, but I know that they are waiting for a ship to come and pick you up," June replied. "Once that ship arrives, I'll receive the second half of my payment, while you'll be off to Ba Sing Se."

"Why take me to Ba Sing Se? It's obvious they are only interested in Azula," Katara pressed.

"Not anymore, girl," June smirked. "I think they are a little worried that the Fire Lord and the Avatar might be onto their plans, so I believe they plan to hold you captive to make sure they do not interfere. Anyway," the bounty huntress said as someone else entered the tent, one of the Dai Li agents carrying a wooden bowl and a ladle. "Looks like it's time for you to enjoy your meal. I won't disturb you any longer," June chuckled before leaving the tent.

The Dai Li agent began to make preparations to feed them both, propping Azula upright, not an easy task as she struggled all the way, trying her best to head-butt the man. At some point during their struggle, Azula suddenly noticed something, Katara giving her frantic looks and silently forming words with her lips, as if trying to communicate something to her. Azula stopped fighting her captor and finally allowed him to settle her upright and start working on removing the gag, her eyes focused on trying to decipher what Katara was trying to tell her.

 _What could she be trying to tell me?_ Azula thought frantically. _Hmm, she probably has some plan to escape that she needs my help with. How would Katara plan to escape? She'd probably use her waterbending... only there's nothing here for her to bend with._ As the Dai Li agent submerged the wooden ladle in the disgusting looking brew in the bowl, Azula's eyes instantly flashed in recognition. _'Spit it out!' That's what she's trying to tell me!_

Wincing inwardly, Azula allowed the earthbender to shove the spoon into her mouth. Hungry though she was, Azula refused the temptation to swallow the disgustingly bland slop, instead spitting it out on the ground with a look of disgust on her face. "I am not eating anything so gross!" she snarled at the angry looking earthbender. "In Fire Nation, we wouldn't feed this sludge even to the bull pigs!"

The Dai Li agent angrily slapped her gag back in its place and shoved the princess to the ground. "Arrogant little bitch," he growled, turning towards Katara. "I trust you possess enough sense to accept the food offered to you?"

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry," Katara replied icily.

"Let's see how your pride holds up when you're chained in the ship's brig," the Dai Li agent smirked. "Soon you'll be begging for the scraps we might throw your way," he shook his head in annoyance, leaving the tent shortly after.

As soon as they had been left alone, Katara sprang into action. Azula watched with interest at how the waterbender rolled around, revealing that she had managed to somehow disentangle her fingers from the ropes that bound her, the Dai Li being rather careless in how they had secured Katara. Being able to wriggle her fingers gave Katara some limited bending capabilities. Despite herself, Azula was mildly impressed at how Katara managed to use what little liquid she could gather, combining the scarce droplets and then starting to shape them. With her hands tied on her back, Katara did not even see what she was doing, but apparently, she was able to sense her element well enough to manipulate it even then.

Having formed a tiny dagger of ice, Katara used it to slash at her restraints, but unfortunately, without seeing what she was doing, the sharp edge not only cut through some of the ropes, but also bit very deep into her flesh, almost causing her to cry out. Azula winced as she watched blood escaping from the self-inflicted deep cut. If Katara bled to her death, then this escape attempt would end up as a particularly embarrassing disaster, and Azula definitely did not want for that to happen. Fortunately, Katara managed to shake off the severed ropes quickly, then using water from one of her hip flasks to quickly mend the cut, but not before the back of her dress had been badly stained with blood.

Seeing Katara walking up to the tent flap and carefully peering outside, Azula began to make impatient noises around her gag, demanding to be released. It was time to unleash fiery doom on these impudent Dai Li and burn them all together with their campsite. Katara eventually reacted to the noises she was making, frowning as she snuck over to Azula.

"Here's what we're going to do," Katara told her. "I'm going to create a distraction and throw the entire camp into chaos. Then I'm going to release you, cut a hole in the back of the tent and we'll make our escape while they're distracted."

Azula blinked in surprise before starting to struggle against her bonds with increased ferocity. She couldn't believe the insipid waterbender thought that she wouldn't take her revenge on the Dai Li for this humiliation. Was she expected to just forget about this insult and skulk away into the night like a coward? Katara was out of her mind if she thought that Azula would ever agree to that.

"Azula, we're doing this my way or not all," Katara spoke sternly, looking deep into her eyes in the way that still made Azula a little uncomfortable. "I'm going to free you regardless, but if you recklessly attack the Dai Li camp, then our deal is off and we're heading to the North Pole instead. Am I being clear on this?"

Azula hesitated for a brief moment. Perhaps this was her chance to get rid of Katara in all the confusion that would follow if she attacked the Dai Li. But there were a lot of these earthbenders, not to mention June, that damn shirshu of hers, and Katara possibly turning on her as well. It was just too damn risky. She gave Katara a reluctant nod, signaling her agreement. _For now._

"Thank you," Katara smiled at her, carefully walking up to the tent flaps, peering outside before pulling them slightly apart, looking ready to bend. Azula's brow wrinkled in confusion. Katara did not appear to be using any water this time.

Azula adjusted her position slightly, wriggling like an earthworm in order to get a better look through the slight gap between the tent flaps. Katara's hands were moving subtly, she was definitely bending, but with what? Azula's attention was then drawn to one of the Dai Li who was behaving very oddly. With jerky, unsteady steps, he walked towards the large campfire and then simply... stepped into it, standing there as his robes caught fire, the man remaining still with a dull look on his face as if he felt no pain. Even more strangely, the same moment Katara stopped bending, the expression on the man's face changed completely. He seemed to become aware again, letting out an ear-splitting cry of pain as flames engulfed him and the entire campsite erupted with chaotic and confused shouting.

What had Katara done? Azula had never seen anything like that, but there was no time to ponder about it. The waterbender was at her side immediately, quickly slicing through her bonds as well as the rock gloves that held her hands and feet tightly together. Water whips lashed against the back of the tent, ripping the fabric, and moments later the pair were outside, crouching low as they ran for the safety of a nearby forest.

All of a sudden there were so many questions on Azula's mind, but they would have to wait until they got to safety. They were already close to the edge of the forest, when Azula noticed two figures ahead of them, wearing the Dai Li robes, most likely guards patrolling the outer perimeter of the camp. Before Katara or the guards could react, blue lightning left Azula's outstretched hands. The bright arc jumped from one guard to the other, electrocuting them both and leaving two smoldering corpses behind as Azula jumped over them, Katara right behind her.

"Got any problem with that?" Azula asked as they kept running.

"None whatsoever," Katara shook her head. "I didn't want you to burn down the camp not because I'm sorry for the Dai Li, but because I wasn't sure we would win that fight, especially with June and Nyla still present."

Azula did not respond right away, not wanting to admit that Katara was most likely correct in her assessment. Instead, she just kept running. "You do realize that she'll just track us again come the morning, right?" Azula asked a while later.

"I know," Katara nodded as they finally reached the forest's edge, gradually slowing down. "But now that we know what we're dealing with, they will no longer take us by surprise."

Azula fell silent, offering no rebuttal. As they proceeded deeper into the forest, Azula remarked at how at the start of their journey, she had been completely uninterested in anything that had to do with the waterbender. Now, all of a sudden, she had so many questions concerning Katara, and by Agni, she was absolutely determined to get the answers.


	6. Chapter 6

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Forests South-East of Republic City_

The night they had spent in the forest had been utterly miserable. Stumbling around in the dark with no sense of direction, they had eventually collapsed in a tranquil meadow, too exhausted to continue. Hoping that the Dai Li would wait until morning to resume their search, they had decided to try and get some sleep, Katara first to keep watch over Azula for a couple of hours, then waking the princess to trade places. With no supplies other than the clothes they were wearing, sleeping on the ground had been very uncomfortable, and come the break of dawn, neither of them felt well rested.

With the start of a new day, they needed a plan on what to do next. At least that seemed to be on Azula's mind when she approached Katara, the waterbender having removed her dress to clean it from bloodstains, sitting in the grass wearing nothing but her light undergarments. "You know that we can't outrun a shirshu, right?" Azula as always didn't waste any time on pleasantries, cutting to the matter at heart.

"I know," Katara nodded. "I must admit, I did not take that into account when I came up with our escape plan yesterday," she confessed.

Azula looked like she was about to say something insulting about Katara's planning abilities, but then she simply shrugged and withheld her comment. "Well, it's a problem we need to deal with," the princess said instead. "You're lucky that I'm here, because I just happen to have an idea."

"I'm all ears," Katara told the firebender as she quickly slipped back into her Earth Kingdom style dress. She suddenly realized how hungry she was, they hadn't eaten a bite since that breakfast way back at Aunt Wu's village. She imagined that Azula was starving as well, but with no supplies at hand, there was little to be done about it.

"The Dai Li will soon start tracking us again," Azula began. "They'll expect us to be on the run, so I say... let's surprise them. Let's head back to their camp and hit them hard."

"Risky," Katara frowned. "But I don't like the idea of being caught flat footed on the road again. You know what... let's go with your plan, Azula."

"Really?" Azula looked surprised. It seemed as if she had already been prepared for a fiery back and forth argument. "Well... at least you can recognize the genius of my plan. Let's not waste any time. If we can hit them before they set out to track us, that would be ideal."

"Agreed," Katara nodded. She glanced around the meadow, the forest appearing exactly the same whichever way she looked. "So... which way back to the Dai Li camp?" she asked, feeling a little lost.

"That way," Azula sighed, pointing to her left.

"How confident are you about that?" Katara asked.

Azula let out a frustrated sigh. "Haven't you learned by now that I'm never wrong?" she grumbled. "Now, are you coming or not?"

Katara hurried to follow the princess and after spending at least an hour fighting through thick underbrush, the pair eventually emerged from the forest, near a familiar looking coastline. "I think we're some ways behind the Dai Li camp... I'm quite sure we passed this large tree stump before getting ambushed by them," Katara remarked, having examined the landscape more closely.

"Indeed, we are exactly where I wanted us to be," Azula replied sternly. Katara chuckled inwardly at that. There was something amusing, perhaps even endearing about Azula's complete inability to admit that she could be wrong about something, even if it was the most inconsequential thing.

"Well... I suppose they will not expect us approaching from behind," Katara smiled as they began to walk down the coastline road, keeping quiet and remaining alert to make sure they were not jumped by June and the Dai Li yet again. It took them at least several hours to reach the Dai Li campsite, but as they approached the place where it had stood last night, they were surprised to see that the Dai Li camp had been dismantled, and the earthbenders had all left.

"Damn it, we're too late! They're off tracking us again!" Azula cursed, both of them looking around cautiously, expecting trouble.

"Wait, Azula," Katara spoke, peering at the campsite, reaching out to grab Azula's wrist. "There's something... or someone still back at the camp."

"Hmm, you're right," Azula nodded, having looked more closely. "Let's go check it out. And... you can let go of my hand now," she said, Katara quickly releasing her wrist, then setting to follow the princess who had already rushed ahead.

A surprising sight awaited them at the dismantled Dai Li campsite. A single body lay prone on the ground, badly beaten and battered, looking to have been on the receiving end of hostile earthbending. Much to the surprise of them both, it was June, the bounty huntress. Her shirshu mount, Nyla, was close by, trapped and rendered immobile by the earthbenders, leaving the animal to growl helplessly at the two approaching girls.

"Looks like there has been some falling out between her and the Dai Li," Azula remarked thoughtfully. "Well, that's good news for us."

"She's alive," Katara said, kneeling next to June to check up on her. "Let's see if we can learn more from her," she added, starting to heal the many wounds of the bounty huntress, and after a brief while, June groaned and opened her eyes.

"Oh great," she sighed. "You two. Just my rotten luck."

"What happened between you and the Dai Li?" Katara asked.

"What do you think?" June rolled her eyes. "After you escaped, they asked me to track you again, but I told them that I had already fulfilled my contract by capturing and delivering you the first time. If they wanted me to track you again, they had to pay me the same amount again. They didn't take kindly to my words and... well, I don't remember much after the rocks started flying."

"Well, I guess in that case we'll finish what the Dai Li started," Azula grinned maliciously, getting ready to firebend.

"We're not going to simply kill her, Azula," Katara protested.

"Why the fuck not?" Azula glared at the waterbender. "She's the enemy!"

"I don't really care about your conflict with the Dai Li," June said calmly. "I'm a bounty hunter. I'll accept any job as long as the pay is good."

"Let's make a deal, June," Katara offered. "I'll heal you fully and we'll release you, but you must promise never to take a job tracking me or Azula again."

"That's not how a bounty hunter operates, girl, you should know that," June shook her head.

"Well, I would urge you to make an exception in our case," Katara snapped angrily. Using her waterbending, she coated the tips of her fingers with water, then freezing it to form sharp claws of ice, pressing them against June's exposed throat. "Or instead of healing you, my fingers might just... slip," Katara added warningly, hoping that she appeared sufficiently intimidating.

"Alright... alright!" June exclaimed, looking slightly unnerved about the sharp spikes of ice digging into her flesh. "I won't track you again, I promise!"

"Isn't that a lot better?" Katara smiled at her, noticing how Azula was watching her with a surprised and almost approving look on her face. "Now, let's heal you properly. And if you have any other valuable information for us, this would be a good time to share it," Katara added, starting to mend June's remaining injuries.

"I have only one piece of advice for you," June spoke, sounding grateful. "The Dai Li suspect that your destination is Ba Sing Se. They'll be watching all the main roads, so I strongly suggest that you seek alternative routes whenever possible."

"That's actually good advice, thank you, June," Katara smiled, applying last finishing touches with her healing. "There, all done," she said, stepping back and letting June rise. "You should be able to free Nyla by yourself."

"Yes, don't worry about it," June nodded at her. "And don't take it the wrong way, but I hope not to see you again. Especially you, angry princess," she winked at Azula, who bristled at the impertinent gesture.

"I think Azula and I feel the same, June," Katara smirked, turning around to walk away. Azula looked like she was considering setting June on fire regardless of what had been promised, but then she also turned around to fall in step with Katara as they both walked away from the dismantled Dai Li camp. "So," Katara began once they had put enough distance between themselves and June. "Any complaints about how I handled that?"

Azula frowned, but didn't say anything. She spoke up only a while later. "Don't read too much into what I'm about to say, you're still an irrelevant water peasant far beneath my notice, but... I must admit, that thing with the ice claws?" she gave Katara an approving stare. "I enjoyed that."

"Thank you," Katara smiled at the princess. Despite having been insulted in the same sentence that complimented her, Katara could not help but feel touched by Azula's words. She knew how hard it was for Azula to offer kindness or a few nice words to anyone. She had been raised in circumstances where showing kindness was considered to be a weakness.

"Show me," Azula demanded.

"Fine," Katara replied, repeating what she had done to intimidate June, raising her hand to show off the glistening claws of ice.

Azula stopped and raised her own hand next to Katara's, focusing with her firebending. Flames spread at the tips of her fingers, forming beautifully matching claws of fire. Katara could not help but notice how long and elegant Azula's fingers were, her alabaster skin contrasting with Katara's copper as mesmerizingly as the fire and ice at the tips of their fingers. "That's... very pretty," Katara managed.

"Yes, well..." Azula withdrew her hand, though it seemed as if she was a little reluctant to do so. There was an almost placid expression on her face for a moment, but then the customary sneer fell right back into place as she glared at Katara again. "Don't forget that you're still an inconsequential water peasant, and you'll never be more than that," the princess snapped at her.

Katara let out a sigh as they resumed walking. She truly was a fool if she thought that this would be easy...

* * *

_5 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Republic City_

Katara had to call upon all of her willpower in order not to cry out, instead focusing on Azula's tongue as it slipped deep inside her mouth. With the way Azula's fingers worked her clit, it was hard to focus on anything, but Katara was in no mood to break her winning streak of their little challenges, these highly enjoyable contests of will and endurance.

Lying side by side, Katara's right leg was entwined with Azula's left, their toes starting to curl lightly as the pleasure mounted. Azula's left hand was between Katara's parted legs, the princess slowly driving the waterbender crazy with her fingers, while Katara's right hand tried to repay Azula with the same pleasurable treatment. With their lips locked, the point of the contest was to see which one of them would break the kiss first by crying out in pleasure.

The loser of the challenge would then agree to carry out a specific wish of the winner, which was definitely a great incentive not to lose. Katara generally tended to win eight or nine out of ten when it came to these challenges, but it was not because she was better at satisfying Azula than the princess was at giving pleasure to her. No, Azula simply tended to climax far more quickly and easily than Katara did. It usually took quite a bit of work to make Katara reach an orgasm. It was almost as if their respective elements mimicked their sexual preferences. Azula burned swiftly and passionately like the flames themselves, while Katara was placid and slow to move, like a gently flowing river.

She could feel how Azula was struggling to maintain control, and it made Katara smile. All the telltale signs were there, the way she began to involuntarily rock her hips against Katara's hand, the way her stomach muscles tensed like tightly woven cords, the tremors starting to course through her frame. It would be over soon, Katara knew it well as she continued to mercilessly tease Azula's throbbing clit with her fingers.

Katara began to ponder what sort of reward she was in the mood for tonight. The subtle power play and the slight humiliation of a particular position she had in mind always drove them both crazy with lust. Katara's mind instantly conjured images of herself grinding her hips over Azula's chin, letting Azula's lips and tongue brush against her clit. She would then lean back a little and slip her hand between Azula's legs, repaying her in kind. Or... even better, she could flip herself around so that she had a perfect view of Azula's naked body, splayed out before her. And then she would request Azula to pleasure herself while she rode her face... by the spirits, she loved watching the princess getting herself off. The play of emotions across Azula's face during this intimate act, the vulnerability Katara could see in her eyes... oh, it drove her absolutely mad with love and desire for this complicated young woman. Katara knew perfectly well how hard it was for Azula to bare her soul and appear vulnerable, and yet, she would do it with her, and that alone made their sexual encounters so incredibly intense.

Suddenly, Katara realized that she had made a mistake. Fantasizing about the amazing prize she would extract from Azula had stoked her pleasure to unbearable levels, threatening to push past what she could endure without crying out. As Azula's fingers continued to mercilessly stroke her clit, the heat crested and cursing herself for her overconfidence, Katara was forced to break the kiss and let a moan slip past her lips.

Azula immediately removed her fingers, looking down at Katara with glee. "Yes!" the princess cheered, looking a little surprised about her victory. "Got you! Finally!"

"Ugh, I suppose you did," Katara could do nothing but admit defeat. Honestly, she didn't mind it too much. It was nice to have Azula win now and then, and most of the time the princess chose a reward that they both enjoyed tremendously. With a sigh, Katara fell back into the pillows and gave Azula a slightly amused glance. "Now, what tortures do you have in mind for me?" she asked with a grin.

"Oh, I've been waiting on this for a while," there was a hungry look in Azula's eyes as she rolled over to her side of the bed, reaching out to remove something from the drawer of the nightstand. Katara instantly recognized the oblong object with a pair of straps attached to it. Azula certainly loved making use of it far more than Katara did. The princess had actually made the extremely embarrassing shopping trip to purchase the toy all by herself, while wearing a disguise, of course.

"I was afraid of that," Katara sighed as Azula tossed the strap-on at her. Honestly, she didn't mind it at all, her reluctant attitude was just an act. While she didn't exactly enjoy how wearing the toy felt, she did love watching what it did to Azula, and how she could send the princess unraveling so completely in a rapture of purest bliss.

"Hey, I won fair and square, so shut up and put it on," Azula glared at her. "It's time you got to work servicing me as is your wont, waterbender."

"As you would have it, princess," Katara nodded with an amused grin on her face as she rose in the bed and began fastening the straps in place.

* * *

_A/N: I wanted to do a quick shoutout to thank everyone who has been reading this story so far. I'm really grateful for your response. It's just so amazing to me that this story already has more subscriptions than my other ATLA stories that have been running for much longer._

_Also, I wanted to encourage those reading the story to offer some ideas and suggestions of what else Azula and Katara could get up to on their road trip to Ba Sing Se. I can't promise to include all and every suggestion, but I can promise to consider it._

_And let's keep on spreading the word about the awesomeness of Azutara! Hopefully, this story will reach and attract more and more fans of this pairing. And maybe even make some converts along the way!_


	7. Chapter 7

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Fishing Village, South-Eastern United Republic_

After an entire day spent on a long and exhausting walk, Azula and Katara finally reached a small coastal fishing village as the sky already began to darken. It was not the sort of village that would have an inn, so Azula had forced Katara to humiliate herself by asking some villagers for help. In the end, they had been directed to an empty hut and later brought some questionable looking fish stew with which to quench their hunger. Having gone without a scrap of food for two days, Azula decided not to complain about the quality of food, the two of them devouring the entire pot of stew in short order.

Following the meal, Katara had suggested that they retire immediately with the intent of starting out again with the break of dawn, but Azula had shot down that idea. There were things that needed addressing, and Azula was in no mood to postpone this inevitable conversation, starting with reconsidering the route they had chosen. They had lost most of their supplies, but importantly, Katara still had her heavy money belt, and Azula had held on to the map she had purchased, relieved about her decision to keep it in her pocket and not with the rest of her belongings in the backpack which had been taken by the Dai Li.

"So," Azula began, spreading the map out on the floor in the sparse light of the oil lamp. She didn't want to risk augmenting the flame with her bending. The dry hovel looked like it needed one good spark to burn down in a few seconds. "June told us that the Dai Li suspect we're going to Ba Sing Se, which means they're watching all the main roads. What does that mean for us?"

"I'm not sure," Katara admitted thoughtfully. "Would they consider our current route a main road?"

"I don't think so, they were only here because they had June and her shirshu leading them," Azula replied. "I suspect we will only have to start worrying as we near Ba Sing Se. We're still a very long way from the capital."

"So, we can continue on our chosen route for now?" Katara asked.

"I think so," Azula nodded. "You saw that forest. I don't want to trudge through that mess."

"Agreed," the waterbender nodded. "Then we proceed to go this way, down to the tip of the peninsula, right?"

"Yes, and then we cross the waters here," Azula pointed at the map, their fingers touching briefly before Katara pulled away. "But we'll have to make a decision when we arrive here," the princess pointed at the large lake on the map, split in two by the Serpent's Pass. "I thought we could go around the lake by traveling south and using the ferry way station to cross over."

"The Dai Li will definitely have their eyes on ferry traffic," Katara said. "But we don't have to use a ferry. I can get us across on an ice raft, as you know."

"Can your ice raft get us across the mountains that form this impenetrable barrier west of Ba Sing Se?" Azula snapped. Katara's inability to read the map could be so frustrating. "It's almost entirely blocked off. That's why when traveling to Ba Sing Se from the south, your only options are the ferry way station or the Serpent's Pass. It makes it very easy for the Dai Li to monitor all the approaches."

"I see," Katara nodded curtly. Her face had reddened a little, the waterbender feeling embarrassed about her mistake. "Could we approach from the north?"

"We could, and honestly, it would make the most sense," Azula said. "There are only a few decent roads and not too many settlements, though, so... we might have to camp in the wilderness." She made a disgusted face from that thought. "And the Dai Li might still be watching the roads. Still, I think it will be safer to approach from the north."

"Fine, it is decided," Katara spoke quickly. "Can we get some sleep now?"

"Not so fast," Azula snapped, reaching out and grabbing the waterbender's arm, preventing her from withdrawing. "There's something else we need to talk about, Katara," she said, facing the other girl with a firm, piercing stare.

"Such as?" Katara asked with a frown on her face.

"Such as what happened last night at the Dai Li camp," Azula did not relent. "What was that? What did you do?"

"I'm not sure I understand, Azula," Katara replied. She was a laughably terrible liar, her eyes shifting all over the place as she spoke, unable to maintain eye contact.

"Don't even try that with me!" Azula snapped at her, irritated that the waterbender would even consider trying to lie to her. "I saw you bending! I don't know how, but you made that Dai Li guy walk right into the fire like he was possessed!"

"Ah," Katara winced. "You noticed."

"What, do you think me blind? I'm not your earthbender friend, remember?" Azula narrowed her eyes, getting annoyed at Katara's stalling. "Now tell me what you did to that guy! I've never seen bending like that before!"

"I'm not surprised," Katara shrugged. "Well... if you really must know, it is called bloodbending."

"Bloodbending?" Azula's eyes widened slightly. "Like... bending with blood? Blood that's inside someone?" Katara nodded, looking deeply reluctant, but there was more... did she look guilty? Her cerulean blue eyes held a strange, pained expression. "That's... fuck, that's crazy. I didn't even know such a thing was possible."

"It is very rare," Katara spoke quietly. "And its use is heavily condemned, as you might imagine."

Azula in all honesty could not imagine why. "But it must be incredibly powerful!" she exclaimed. "Why aren't you using it more often?"

Katara looked horrified beyond belief. "Don't say that! It's awful!"

"Pfft," Azula frowned as she shook her head. "Seems like it's just a more powerful kind of bending. That's like saying I shouldn't bend lightning because it's too powerful. It doesn't make sense."

"It's not the same," Katara shook her head vehemently. "You don't know how it feels to use bloodbending. What it does to the people I use it on. It's... horrible, to rob someone of control over their own body." Katara must have seen the look of indifference on Azula's face as she decided to continue. "Imagine if I used it on you, Azula. I could make you do literally anything. I could force you to walk into the ocean and remain under the water until you drowned. Or I could make you douse yourself with lamp oil and set yourself on fire. That's why I maintain that bloodbending is a terrible curse and I should only use it as a last resort."

Azula remained silent for a while, the images conjured by Katara proving difficult to shake off. If Katara was not lying about the power of bloodbending, and Azula had seen the evidence for it herself, then the waterbender had a very powerful... and in some ways, rather frightening tool at her disposal. Suddenly, Azula realized something that she had been wondering about earlier. "So that's why you are so confident that you can keep me from taking you down and escaping!" she snapped her fingers.

"Believe me, Azula," Katara gave her a look that appeared completely earnest. "Using bloodbending is the last thing I want to do. So, I very much hope that you won't do something that forces me to use it on you. It would be very unpleasant for us both."

"Mhm," Azula frowned, feeling conflicted about the entire matter. This really did change a lot. If she had to take Katara down in the end, she would have to be very fast and decisive about it. She could not allow Katara to retaliate, her bloodbending truly was like an instant win button, if she was given the chance to push it. "It seems that you have been given a rare gift, an opportunity that you have been squandering," she said a while later.

"An opportunity for what, Azula?" Katara asked simply.

"An opportunity to acquire power, to rule and to dominate!" Azula exclaimed. "Must I explain every obvious little thing to you?"

"It's not obvious to me," Katara shrugged. "I don't care about ruling or dominating anyone. I do not want to use this _gift_ that would only push people away and make them look upon me with fear and loathing."

"How is that a bad thing? Fear is something through which you can conquer and rule," Azula snapped. "Not like I need something like your bloodbending, but if I had it on top of everything else that I already possess, nothing would stand in my way, not even the Avatar. I think it's pathetic that someone with such a gift would have nothing to their name, save for the clothes on their back."

"I have something more important than the power you aspire to grasp, Azula," Katara said, shaking her head ruefully. "I have powerful friends in high places, friends who would do anything for me, because they know I would do anything for them. And I have these friends not because of my bloodbending. On the contrary, if I embraced my bloodbending, I would surely lose their friendship. You misunderstand what strength is, Azula. True strength is to have such a cursed gift and not giving in to it, not making yourself a slave to it."

Azula did not respond right away, digesting what Katara had told her, trying to poke some holes in her argument, but irritatingly, even if what Katara had told her felt deeply wrong and went against everything she had been taught, Azula could not immediately find a logical counter to hit Katara with. "That doesn't make sense, and I still think you're a pathetic and cowardly weakling," in the end she had to settle for a rather childish insult which did not feel satisfying at all.

"Is that so?" annoyance flashed in Katara's sapphire blue eyes. "Let's examine what you have achieved with your gifts, shall we? After all, you're the prodigy here, the most skilled firebender of our age. So, what has all that gotten you, Azula? Four years behind the bars. Not a single friend who cared enough to visit you during all that time. I have nothing to my name? You have even less! If I'm the pathetic and cowardly weakling, what does that make you?"

"How… how dare you?" Azula felt blood draining from her face, violent pounding in her temples urging her to melt the flesh clean off from the waterbender's impertinent bones.

"Look deep inside yourself and for once face the truth, Azula. You know that I'm right," Katara refused to back down, glaring right back at the princess.

Azula took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, something that did not come at all easy for her. Still, she did not want to experience the effects of Katara's bloodbending firsthand, so she forced herself to take several deep breaths, her anger slowly starting to dissipate and allowing her to process Katara's words rationally.

And Azula very much did not like what Katara's words made her face. Her father had entrusted her to reign in his absence, and what had she done? She still had no explanation for why she had acted the way she had done. Her father had hundreds of lackeys at his beck and call, helping him to run and administer the military powerhouse that was the Fire Nation. But what had she done? She had dismissed them all, because she had suspected treachery from every corner. Was this what Katara was getting at with her words? That as powerful as she was, she still needed to rely on others to get things done? That she needed to… trust others to do their job, and needed others to trust in her?

Azula did not like where these thoughts were leading her. They made her feel as if she was not infallible. Like she was capable of making mistakes, which surely was ridiculous. And yet… hadn't her brief reign as the Fire Lord been filled with irrational decisions and… mistakes?

"Azula?" she heard Katara's voice, laden with concern. Azula shook her head, dismissing the uncomfortable thoughts, noticing that Katara's hand was gently shaking her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"What? Pfft, like anything you say could upset me," Azula said, her voice unusually hoarse as she pushed Katara's hand away.

"Well, I just hope that you understand why bloodbending is not something to be trifled with, and why it's so important that I don't get into habit of using it," Katara spoke softly.

"Whatever," Azula replied, looking anywhere but into Katara's piercing blue eyes. "I'd still use it if I had it."

"Then I'm glad you don't have it," Katara sighed. "For one, if you had bloodbending, I could not have stopped Aang from removing your bending altogether."

Azula did not reply to that and eventually Katara crawled over to her simple straw mat and began to settle in for the night, leaving the other girl sitting, deep in her thoughts. A few minutes later, Azula let out a sigh before extinguishing the oil lamp, then leaning back and settling into her own sleeping berth, already knowing that she would have trouble falling asleep, despite how exhausted she felt from the travails of the past two days.

"Speaking of removing my bending," Azula suddenly spoke up, making Katara shift on her straw mattress as she reared her head.

"I thought we were finally going to sleep," Katara sighed.

"Humor me, waterbender," Azula said insistently. "I'm going to ask you a question, and while you could lie… in fact, I'm more than certain that you're going to lie, I am simply curious about what sort of lie you will come up with."

"I'll do my best not to lie to you, Azula," Katara said earnestly. Azula almost believed her. "What's the question?"

"Why did you really speak up against removing my bending?" Azula asked. "You even went against your own boyfriend."

"Aang isn't my boyfriend, not anymore," Katara explained. "We broke up almost a year ago."

"Oh… then June was speaking the truth when she called you the Fire Lord's girlfriend?" Azula laughed. "I thought she was just trying to annoy you. Well, never mind then, I have my answer for why you're _helping_ me."

"Oh, and what would that be, I wonder?" Katara asked, sounding a little irritated.

"Clearly, you're eager to jump my brother's bones, that's all there is to it," Azula snorted. "Agni, I thought you actually had some interesting and complicated motivation, but in the end, you're still so very transparent."

"My helping you has nothing to do with Zuko," Katara snapped back. "Well… that's not entirely true, part of the reason why I'm helping you is that I know how much your... difficulties are eating away at him, and I just want my friend to be happy. That's all Zuko and I are, very good friends who help one another with things like these."

"Please," Azula waved her off dismissively. "Nice try, but I see right through it. Perhaps you are still friends for now, but you want more. Don't bother denying it."

"I am free to pursue anyone I choose to, Azula, and I would not need your approval for it. If I was romantically interested in Zuko, I would have no trouble admitting it," Katara replied.

"Alright, let's say that I believe your little lies," Azula said. "If you're not using helping me to get closer to Zuko, what other motivation do you have then? Just let that bald freak take away my bending. I would understand that more than I can understand what you're trying to achieve now."

"I couldn't go through with it, I knew that as soon as I saw you in that cell," Katara replied softly. "I'm going to tell you something that will probably annoy you, but you need to hear it. During the war, I wasn't really interested in anything that had to do with you, other than how to avoid coming across you, or how to take you down when we faced each other. But after the war, when we spent time in the Fire Nation as a group, visiting Zuko, I learned more and more details about his childhood... and that meant learning about your childhood as well. I know that there's an angry retort of 'you don't know a single thing about me, dirty water peasant' on your tongue already, but Azula... I actually **do** know. I know enough about you to understand what losing your bending would do to you, princess. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"I would rather die than lose my bending," Azula said, swallowing heavily.

"I could not stand idly and abide by a decision that turned a young woman into a living corpse," Katara continued. "To me, that is the definition of a cruel and unusual punishment."

"An interesting theory, but I remain unconvinced. I still think you're only doing this to get into Zuko's pants," Azula spoke up a while later, making Katara sigh deeply. "Well, I should at least commend you on your tastes having improved. Zuko might be a brooding crybaby at times, but at least he's more interesting than Blandy the Avatar. How could you date someone with the personality equal to a bowl of oatmeal for so long?"

Katara let out an amused snort despite herself, but declined to comment any further. "I think it's about time we finally got some shuteye," she said decisively. Still, a few minutes later, Azula could distinctively hear the sounds of Katara trying not to snicker, but failing miserably. "Damn you, princess!" the waterbender finally burst into giggles.

"What did I do?" Azula asked, wondering if Katara had finally lost her marbles.

"What did you do?" Katara choked out. "I'm trying to sleep here, but every time I close my eyes, I get a mental image of Aang with a bowl of oatmeal for his head!"

Despite herself, Azula could not stop from bursting into chuckles as well. Sleep would have to wait a while longer.


	8. Chapter 8

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Fishing Village, South-Eastern United Republic_

Katara woke up the following morning to find herself alone in the fishing hut, the straw mat used by Azula empty. Her first instinct was to become alerted and assume the worst, but she quickly managed to set her fears aside, and having done the bare minimum to fix her morning hair, Katara stepped outside into the bright sunshine of the not so early morning.

"Good morning," she greeted the two fishermen, working nearby to mend the holes in their nets. "Have you perchance seen my friend up and about?" she asked.

"Sure did, she went that a way," one of the men pointed vaguely southwards. "Behind those dunes over there. Scared the wife something fierce, she did, throwing her fire around like that. Now, you seem to be a nice girl and all, but we don't really like having firebenders around, so... maybe you shouldn't stay here for too long. If you catch my meaning..."

"Don't worry, we hadn't planned on staying," Katara smiled at the two slightly spooked looking fishermen, then stopping at one of the other huts to exchange a few words with the fisherman's wife who had offered them the spare hut for use. Once she had made all the necessary arrangements, Katara set out to find Azula, following the fisherman's directions.

Having circled around the tall dunes, Katara came upon the scene of Azula's firebending practice. Since they were not in an immediate hurry to leave, Katara saw no reason to interrupt Azula's workout. Instead, she decided to settle in against the trunk of the lonely tree overlooking the sandy field Azula had chosen as her training ground. She could not immediately tell whether Azula had noticed her presence or not, because the princess continued going through her paces, never breaking her routine.

Katara observed Azula's practice with undisguised interest. She had watched Zuko training Aang, had watched Zuko working out on his own, and they had sparred on many occasions, but Katara could immediately tell that Azula's technique was very different from her brother's. Her style was very much fueled by her anger and passion, but the result was not intended to overwhelm with its brute strength. No, her anger was tightly and precisely channeled through carefully measured and controlled moves.

Before Zuko had changed his ways and joined Team Avatar, Katara remembered how aggressive he had been with his firebending, always trying to overwhelm them. Even after Zuko had joined them and had readjusted his technique, it still retained some of his early attacking style. Azula was very different in her approach. She did not favor the quick and aggressive jabs, kicks and punches. Azula was all about elegant and graceful movements, channeling her blue flames in concentrated jets and powerful long arcs. Every purposeful, almost artistic movement seemed to be designed to conserve as much energy as possible while generating maximum power. It appeared frighteningly effective, as long as Azula maintained a tight control over her style.

The longer Katara looked at and studied Azula's movements, the more it became apparent to her that in some ways, Azula moved almost more like a waterbender than a firebender. Azula would no doubt be outraged by such a suggestion, but to Katara it was obvious that some of the moves she performed with her firebending were quite similar to Katara's own stance when she fought. Especially the technique where Azula formed a lash of blue fire and struck out with it from a distance looked almost identical to Katara's water whips. Obviously, the similarity of their techniques was not perfect, as Azula's bending was still accompanied by a great deal of movement and acrobatics, while Katara mostly preferred to hold her ground and conserve her energy.

Eventually, Azula decided that she had had enough practice, coming to a halt and turning to approach Katara, suggesting that the princess had been aware of being watched all along. Katara was rather amazed to see that Azula had barely broken sweat during this intense looking practice. In fact, the princess appeared nearly as perfect as always, making Katara wonder just how did she manage to accomplish this feat. All of their belongings had been taken by the Dai Li, including Katara's emergency makeup kit, hair clips and brushes, as well as all other bare necessities which they had no hope of restocking until they reached a larger town. And despite lacking all these supplies, Azula still managed to maintain her impeccable appearance, making Katara greatly impressed and just a tiny bit jealous.

"So," Azula said, having caught up with her. "Studying my style for weaknesses, are you? Let me assure you that there are none."

Katara chuckled at that. It was such an Azula thing to assume. "Believe me, Azula, I've had enough experience fighting you back during the war to have any interest in repeating it," she smiled at the princess. "I was just... impressed by your intensive routine. Do you practice like that often?"

"That was nothing, it barely even warmed me up," Azula shrugged her shoulders. "You should have seen what my firebending instructors put me through at my father's instruction. Now that was intense. Or did you think that just because I was a firebending prodigy, it meant that I didn't have to work very hard to become the best at what I do?"

"I honestly hadn't thought about it, Azula," Katara confessed. She suddenly felt very curious about that aspect of Azula's childhood. She had never asked Zuko about their firebending training. "Did you and Zuko train together when you were young?" she asked.

"Ha! No... father gave up on Zuko early on," Azula smirked. "We were supposed to train together, but father decided that Zuko would just slow down my progress too much because he always lagged behind and the tutors had to spend extra time with him. So, from that point onwards, the best tutors worked with me, while different teachers were assigned to Zuko."

"Your father must have been very proud of your talent," Katara said, even if she had trouble imagining Ozai as a caring father even to his favored child.

Something shifted in Azula's expression, a shadow creeping across her face. "He had a strange way of showing it," she frowned, but then quickly shook her head. "Well, enough about that. We need to be on our way from this dismal village."

"Agreed, but we should have breakfast first. Who knows when our next meal will come after we depart?" Katara said. "I've already made arrangements in the village, so let's go."

"I'm not having any more disgusting fish stew," Azula's expression turned into a pout, which made Katara smile to herself.

"It's a fishing village, Azula. It's safe to assume that any meal here will involve fish," she sighed patiently. "Though... I also hope that it's not fish stew."

In the end, they were both pleasantly surprised when the fisherman's wife actually served them very skillfully prepared sushi that even Azula struggled to find fault with. As they ate, the princess pulled out her map once again, starting to examine the road ahead of them. "If we make good time on the road, we should be able to hit the tip of the peninsula come the evening," she said, pointing at the map.

"That sounds good," Katara nodded. She then pointed at the small town on the other side of the water from the tip of the peninsula. "And then I can get us both across and we should be able to find lodgings for the night," she smiled.

"Why, it's like you could read my mind, waterbender," Azula smirked. She seemed to be in an unusually good mood this morning. Katara could only hope that it would last once they hit the road again.

* * *

Several hours later, the two girls were walking down the coastal road, their journey thus far pleasant and uninterrupted, allowing them to keep up a fast pace since they were not burdened by any supplies. Sun shone brightly above them, but the weather remained tolerably mild, the refreshing sea breeze keeping them energized. They covered most of their journey in silence, and when they exchanged a few words, Azula did not snap at Katara or act unpleasant in any way, and the less hostile attitude from the princess encouraged Katara to ask something that had been preying on her mind for a while.

"Azula, I'm going to ask you a question," Katara said in a determined voice.

"If you must," Azula yawned, feigning indifference. In truth, she appeared to be grateful for the broken silence.

"I wanted to ask you about the future," Katara said. "And where do you see your place in it."

"Why, obviously I see myself having a grand time at the North Pole with you as my keeper," Azula rolled her golden eyes. "I just can't wait. Or have our plans changed?"

Katara sighed. "Alright, maybe I phrased that poorly," she admitted. "I am simply curious if you still believe that you deserve to rule the Fire Nation."

"Of course," Azula shrugged, giving Katara a look which suggested that the waterbender had to be crazy to believe anything else. "That is what being a Crown Princess means, Katara. And I was given that title by my father. Also, he left me in charge as the Fire Lord when he went to conquer the rest of the world. So... obviously, to rule the Fire Nation is my right."

"I understand why you feel that way, but Azula, you... didn't exactly do a great job as the Fire Lord," Katara pointed out carefully. "Don't you think that the Fire Nation citizens would reject you if you tried to force your rule upon them now?"

"It doesn't matter what they think or what they want!" Azula exclaimed, Katara noticing how she clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. "My blood dictates my right to rule! That's all there is to it!"

"How would you keep your people in check?" Katara wondered. "If your subjects did not want you as their ruler, they would rise up in rebellion. You could try to crush them, but... I think it would just make you more and more hated."

"My father was never the popular choice to become the Fire Lord," Azula replied. "People on the street were always singing their praises to Uncle Iroh. Dragon of the West and all that," she made a disgusted face at that. "But my father still managed to keep everyone in line when he became the Fire Lord. If he could do it, then so can I," she added stubbornly.

"I think you are a better person than your father," Katara said, but Azula's expression remained unmoved. "In any case, I think I know why your father managed to hold on to the throne. He kept the war going and enabled the elites of the Fire Nation to become even richer from war profiteering. If the tides had turned against the Fire Nation... if we had succeeded on the Day of the Black Sun, it's possible that your own people would have overthrown him."

"Well, thank you for giving me a brilliant idea, Katara," Azula grinned at her. "Now I know exactly what I must do once I topple Zuko from the throne and assume the title that is rightfully mine. I'm just going to start another war with the rest of the world."

"No, I don't think you're that crazy, Azula," Katara shook her head, certain that Azula was merely baiting her. "You know that you would never get away with that, not now when Aang has unlocked his Avatar State and has such power at his disposal. He would just take you out without much thought." Azula frowned at that, but said nothing as they continued walking in silence.

"There's one more thing that I believe you should know, Azula," Katara spoke up a while later. "There is a rather large faction among Zuko's supporters who view you as a genuine threat to his rule, and as a threat to the stability of the Fire Nation."

"They're right about me being a threat to Zuko," Azula nodded in agreement.

"This is no joke, Azula," Katara shook her head. "Since you would be next in line should anything happen to Zuko, these people want you gone, Azula. And when I say gone, I mean… they want you dead. I know that the Kyoshi Warriors have thwarted multiple plots to assassinate you, Azula... mostly by poisoning."

Azula actually came to a grinding halt at that. "Are... are you serious?" the princess looked distressed as she asked the question. Katara nodded severely. "They really hate me that much, do they..."

"Is it really such a surprise, Azula?" Katara asked softly. "Actions have consequences. And your actions in the past have upset a great deal of people."

"They don't seem to have upset you," Azula gave her a deeply intense stare.

"Of course, they have," Katara sighed. "You've hurt the people I love the most. You nearly killed me... you would have killed me if not for Zuko's sacrifice. You've done terrible, contemptuous things to me and my closest friends."

"Then why are you pretending to be helping me!" Azula shouted angrily, clenching her fists again. Katara did not reply, instead crossing her arms on her chest and staring down the fuming princess. "Alright. Fine..." Azula caved in as she slowly calmed down. "Then why are you helping me?" she rephrased her question.

"Let's make one thing clear first," Katara spoke sternly. "I'm not doing this to get into Zuko's pants, as you so crudely put it earlier. Can you get that through your stubborn skull, princess?"

"I shouldn't let you get away with insulting me," Azula glared at her, then frowning when Katara once again easily held her gaze. "Ugh, fine. Alright, so maybe you're not sweet on my brother. Let's suppose I agree with that premise. Now, explain why you're helping me. You said you didn't want the Avatar to take away my bending... fair enough, but once you stopped him, you didn't have to do anything beyond that. You didn't have to take me on a road trip to the North Pole."

"It's not an easy question to answer, Azula," Katara replied thoughtfully. "When we started out on this journey, I was mostly motivated by my desire to help Zuko, because he is a dear friend to me. But now that I have spent time with you on the road... I feel that my motivation has changed."

"Explain," Azula demanded, looking at her curiously.

"I'm not sure if this is going to make much sense to you, but... I feel that I want to help you because despite all that you've done, you still deserve to be helped," Katara tried to explain. "I think you have the potential to be something else... something more than even you think you could be. It's like... you are trapped thinking that there is only one singular path before you. To rule the Fire Nation and nothing else. Am I wrong?"

Azula hesitated for a moment. "You're not wrong," she eventually admitted. "To rule the Fire Nation is my destiny."

"I don't believe that," Katara shook her head resolutely. "I think that you have multiple choices before you, Azula, choices that you are not allowing yourself to see, and thus, not allowing yourself to make."

"If there are other choices before me, then I don't see them," Azula shrugged.

"That's exactly what I hope to show you, and why I feel so motivated to travel with you, princess," Katara smiled at her. "I want to show these other choices to you."

Azula gave her a weird look, suggesting that she thought Katara was a little off her rocker. "Well, good luck with that, I suppose," she smirked, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, princess... we're still only at the very beginning of a long road ahead of us," Katara chuckled as they resumed walking once again. "And soon you'll see that I can be extremely stubborn and determined once I set my mind on something..."


	9. Chapter 9

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Harbor Town, Western Earth Kingdom_

For once, something on their journey to Ba Sing Se went according to the plan, with Katara and Azula reaching the Harbor Town by sunset. While puny in size and barely deserving to be called a town, the settlement still had a somewhat reputable looking inn, and despite the lateness of the hour, they had been able to rent a room with a pair of single beds. After an entire day of exhausting walking, they both had collapsed in their respective beds and fallen asleep almost instantly, waking up late the next morning.

First thing on Azula's mind as she woke up was to make use of the rudimentary but adequate bathing facilities of the inn. She did not think to complain, having spent the past four years of her life stuck between various prisons and mental wards. While Zuko had made sure that the hospitals had suitable conditions for someone of the royal blood, when she landed herself in prison following one of her many escapes, she had to endure many a humiliating hardship.

Once Katara had taken her own quick shower, the waterbender had joined Azula at the breakfast table and they had formulated their plan for the day over a nourishing meal. Considering that they had slept in, and there was still shopping to be done, they had agreed to spend the rest of the day in the Harbor Town, head to bed early and start out again on the next day with the break of dawn. That suited Azula just fine. She wanted to get to Ba Sing Se as soon as possible, but she didn't see the need to overexert herself. If the Dai Li were to ambush them again, Azula wanted to be as close to her best as she could.

Following breakfast, Katara had handed her a few coins from her money belt and they had parted to do each their own shopping. It had taken Azula a while to track down a merchant who was peddling the wares she was looking for, bare necessities such as hair brushes and a mirror. The female shopkeeper also had some very basic cosmetics on offer, and appalled by the paltry selection, Azula had simply bought everything in the merchant's stock, from foundation to eye shadow and lipstick. If they were to take the route running north of the Serpent's Pass, they would most likely never come across a settlement larger than this town before reaching Ba Sing Se, and Azula was unlikely to get ahold of a better selection of cosmetics.

There was one purchase in particular that Azula was very happy to have secured, and that was a collection of Fire Nation spices. This bland Earth Kingdom food was driving her up the wall, and she relished the thought of being able to make it more palatable with a few pinches of spices that reminded her of the far more refined cuisine of her homeland.

With her shopping done, Azula went for a short walk along the pier, then settling down on a nearby bench, basking in the warm afternoon sun as she finally took the time to think more in detail about everything that had happened as of late. In truth, Azula was surprised about her feelings regarding the situation she found herself in. She had been convinced that this journey with Katara watching her like a hawk would be insufferable and torturous, but if she was completely honest with herself... she was not having a bad time at all. The only thing Azula was uncertain of was Katara trying to fill her head with confounding and uncomfortable thoughts.

Still, nobody would dare to call Azula a coward, and she would never let some uncomfortable thoughts unsettle her. No, she would face them head on... such as Katara's ridiculous idea that Azula could be anything else but the supreme ruler of the Fire Nation. What else could she be? A baker? A seamstress? Some worthless menial worker? It was ridiculous, she was born into power, born to hold power over those less worthy. Of course, according to Katara, by believing this, she was blindly accepting a path that somebody else had laid out for her, she was not making her own choices.

But what other choices did she have, really? It was so confusing. What if Katara was right, and the people of Fire Nation didn't want her as their ruler? Azula wanted to dismiss this notion as a ridiculous one, but... something at the back of her mind whispered insistently that she was deluding herself. She had already admitted to herself that her first stint as the reigning Fire Lord had been an utter disaster. Was it really any wonder that the people felt conflicted about having her assume the mantle of their sovereign yet again? It absolutely gutted her pride to admit it, but... Zuko had been ruling for four straight years by now, and... the Fire Nation was at peace, and according to what she had heard, the fortunes of her homeland were gradually improving. Everyone seemed more or less happy with the work that Zuko had done. It was so irritating to admit, but her awkward turtle duck of a brother was succeeding where she had failed so miserably, and the realization of it all made Azula want to scream in frustration.

Damn the waterbender, but she was right. There would not be a Fire Lord Azula, she had to face the bitter truth. And that brought her back to the question of what else was there for her. Katara had told Azula that more choices would eventually present themselves to her in time, and that she would help Azula spot them. At this point, Azula actually felt grateful for the offer and willing to take the waterbender up on it.

"The strangest thing just happened," speaking of the waterbender, Azula's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Katara as she placed two heavy backpacks on the bench next to Azula. "I wanted to buy some eye shadow at the store, but the shopkeeper told me that she had already sold everything she had to a rather rude and stuck-up young woman. You wouldn't know anything about that, Azula?" Katara gave her a meaningful stare.

"Maybe..." Azula flashed her a particularly smug grin.

"Just as I thought," Katara laughed. "You will be sharing those supplies."

"What? In your dreams, Katara," Azula shook her head. "You're not touching my stuff with your dirty little fingers. I'm surprised that a savage like you even knows how to apply makeup."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Katara sighed, plopping down on the bench next to her. "Besides, it's all bought with the money I gave you, so technically, that's all my stuff and I'm just letting you use it. So there," she stuck out her tongue at Azula.

"Right, whatever," Azula rolled her eyes. "So, what's all that?" she asked, pointing at the two sizeable backpacks that Katara had brought over.

"Oh, just some supplies," Katara replied. "Food, blankets, cooking utensils, things like that, basic adventuring kit," she smiled. "Also, I went and bought us a tent. I know you made a big fuss about it earlier, but..."

"But if we're taking that northern path around the big lake, then we'll probably have to camp in the wilderness, so... I guess a tent is a good idea," Azula nodded in realization. She supposed she could suffer one more indignity, squeezing in tightly with the waterbender inside a small tent, sleeping side by side. For some reason, she felt her cheeks warming slightly, Azula frowning and pushing the thoughts about sharing a tent with Katara well away. "Of course, you'll be the one carrying the tent," she said quickly.

"That's fine," Katara replied with a smile. "And it means you're carrying the other bag."

Azula frowned and reached over to lift both backpacks in turn. The bag containing the food and other supplies was much heavier. "You know what, I'll take the tent after all," the princess decided quickly.

"Too late!" Katara announced with a smug grin on her lips.

"Ugh... we'll see about that," Azula grumbled, bristling at having been outwitted by the waterbender. This was yet another thing that Azula was having to reevaluate as she continued traveling with Katara. Earlier, she had arrogantly dismissed Katara as an uneducated savage who knew nothing, and while it was true that Katara lacked the kind of education that a Crown Princess had enjoyed, it didn't mean that the waterbender was stupid, far from it. Azula had to admit that Katara was actually quite clever, quick witted and wise in the ways of the world, and she never backed down when Azula challenged her.

Azula only knew and accepted one response to her challenging someone, and it was for the other person to roll over and do as they were told. However, Katara would have none of it, and Azula figured that such impertinence would make her angry beyond belief, but now... now Azula had to admit that she actually enjoyed being challenged. There was something refreshing and exciting in Katara's misguided belief that they were equals, and it all surprised Azula a great deal.

"Too bad you're not more like Ty Lee," Azula sighed wistfully. "I could always force her to carry all my stuff."

"You were so awful towards that poor, sweet girl, taking advantage of her feelings for you like that," Katara glared at the princess. "I wish she would have kicked your ass."

"Well... she did, actually," Azula frowned. "She chi-blocked me that one time on the Boiling Rock. That was very unpleasant."

"I'm sure you deserved it," Katara smirked at her.

"What, for punishing a traitor? Whatever," Azula shrugged. "Anyway, shall we decide on a route for tomorrow?" she asked, pulling out the map and spreading it out in her lap, Katara leaning closer to take a better look at it. As Katara did so, the scent of her hit Azula's nostrils, the subtle pine aroma from the soap she had used back at the inn. It was... crude, perhaps, but... Azula still found herself thinking that it smelled very nice and suited Katara perfectly.

"Alright, so we are here?" Katara pointed at the Harbor Town on the map.

"That's right," Azula nodded. "We have two options. We can circle around all these mountains to the east by taking a detour to the south."

"It's going to cost us a lot of time, won't it?" Katara asked. "Why don't we cut across the mountains here?" she pointed at the landscape directly to their east. "I know there are at least a few passes through the mountains that we could take."

"Yes, that's our other option, and honestly... I would prefer the harder but shorter path," Azula said. "We'll be well rested by tomorrow."

"Agreed," Katara nodded. "I actually know this area... somewhat. Those are the ruins of Taku, if I'm not mistaken," she pointed at another marker on the map, on the other side of the mountains.

"That's right," Azula said, a little surprised. "You've been there before?"

"It's not a happy memory, and I don't remember much," Katara replied. "My brother and I both went down with some kind of illness, and it knocked us out for days. I just know that eventually Aang cured us by making us suck on some frozen frogs from the nearby swamp."

"That is absolutely disgusting," Azula made a face.

"I could not agree more," Katara nodded emphatically. "I was still a little delirious from the fever when we left, so I'm afraid I don't remember much about the ruins. But I remember this little town quite well," Katara sighed in contentment as she leaned against the backrest of the bench, enjoying the afternoon sun. "We needed supplies, but we were also out of money, so Sokka... my brother, he took a job helping a local fisherman. They got into a huge storm and almost perished... would have perished if Aang hadn't saved them at the last moment."

"I've always thought that your brother was rather stupid," Azula remarked.

Katara glanced at her, Azula expecting the waterbender to launch into an angry and passionate defense of her brother, but instead Katara simply chuckled softly and shook her head. "I suppose he can be a bit of a doofus now and then, but I love him all the same," she said wistfully. "His heart has always been in the right place."

"Ugh," Azula grunted, feeling her annoyance levels rising. "How can you be like that? It can't be real!"

"I beg your pardon, Azula?" Katara looked at her with wide-eyed surprise.

"Such a goody-goody, never a single bad word about anyone!" Azula exclaimed in frustration. "Always the selfless and helpful do-gooder, asking for nothing in return, so desperate to do the right thing! Admit it, you're fake like everyone else, you have to be!"

"Ah," Katara smiled knowingly, which only irritated Azula further. "It's not an act, I can assure you, but then again, I think you already know that. But if you're asking why I am the way I am, I think I have an answer for you, and it all has to do with our background and our upbringing."

"Explain," Azula snapped.

"Have you ever been to either of the Poles, Azula?" she asked. The princess shook her head in denial. "I thought so. See, you don't know what it means to grow up at the South Pole. Among the tribe, self-centered people have no future, Azula. There is no going at it alone, no matter how strong willed you are, because in those harsh conditions, our people can survive only by cooperating and relying on each other. Most of the tasks we undertake must be done together with someone, you cannot stray far from the village on your own, or you risk being lost forever to the treacherous weather or changing terrain."

"That sounds absolutely horrid," Azula shuddered. "Why would anyone get the idea to live in such conditions I will never understand."

"You can get used to practically anything," Katara smiled. "But I hope that it explains my attitude. I have been taught from an early age to help and support others, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it would help me survive and that in turn would benefit the tribe."

"Hmm, I suppose that does make sense," Azula admitted. "My upbringing could not have been more different from yours."

"No, I suppose not," Katara chuckled. "You were born into royalty and never had to worry about the lack for anything. Where I had to fight for survival daily, you could instead focus on scheming, court politics and various plays for power."

"That sounds far more enjoyable than what you had to deal with," Azula smirked.

"I'm sure it was more enjoyable, but it also explains why our attitudes are so different, princess," Katara smiled at her. "When we are confronted with a new situation, my first instinct is to think how I can help, while your first instinct is to think how to use the situation to your advantage."

"That seems about right," Azula shrugged. "I'm sure there's a lecture incoming about why my way of doing things is awful and how I'm a horrible person because of it."

"I would never say that, Azula," Katara's smile seemed to become particularly soft and soothing. "I know that it is incredibly hard to escape and break free from your upbringing. Perhaps it is even impossible... and unhealthy. But... that doesn't mean you can't grow beyond what you are taught to be, Azula." She reached out and touched Azula's hand ever so gently. "That's what I would like to show you, Azula. Now, go on, snap at me that what I'm saying is stupid and ridiculous. I know you need to get that out of your system."

Azula swallowed heavily. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to snap at Katara. She wanted to push Katara's hand away, to be rid of that distracting feather-light touch... but she couldn't. "No," she ground out. "I'm not going to say that it's stupid."

"Well, then..." Katara looked surprised beyond belief, but also very pleased as she squeezed her hand before releasing it. "I'm very happy to hear that, princess," she said, as they continued to enjoy the warm afternoon sun in comforting, soothing silence.


	10. Chapter 10

_4 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Ruins of Taku_

Traversing the steep mountain passes was more challenging than Azula and Katara had expected it to be, and the afternoon was already getting late by the time they reached the high point. Once they had made it that far, Katara found herself extremely exhausted, and she could tell that Azula felt the same, the princess occasionally wiping her brow to keep perspiration from pouring down her face. Katara would have preferred to take breaks more often, but she had to agree with Azula's point that they could not afford to lose more time unless they wanted the approaching nightfall to catch them still high up on the mountain pass. At least the descent would take them less time, even if they both understood that it couldn't be rushed. It was all too easy to place a foot wrong while being so tired, ending up in a nasty fall.

The view that opened to their eyes upon emerging on the other side of the mountain was nothing short of spectacular. At the feet of the mountain slope, there lay the empty white shells of the abandoned buildings of Taku, once an impressive and important port city of the Earth Kingdom. Built on the bank of a river of remarkable width, it had once served as an important stopping point on the waterway most commonly used to travel between Ba Sing Se and Agna Qel'a, but a particularly devastating Fire Nation raid had left it abandoned since the very early days of the Hundred Years War.

As they began their descent, Azula leading at the front and Katara following her, the waterbender allowed her mind to wander a little, reflecting on the recent events as she carefully made her way down the narrow mountain path. After what felt like a great progress the day before, Azula appeared very withdrawn and prickly whenever Katara had tried to instigate a conversation during the climb. Katara's first emotional reaction had been disappointment, but she had quickly reminded herself that she should not be surprised by Azula's reaction. The princess was going through a lot, and probably hadn't experienced her worldview being challenged in the way how Katara pushed against her long-held beliefs. It was only understandable that Azula needed a lot of time to work through everything that was happening. Katara realized that sometimes she would need to give the princess distance to process things, despite how eager she was to push further with Azula's progress.

Katara was also getting slightly worried about becoming a little too personally invested in Azula's healing. She recognized that she was already actively rooting for Azula to get better, but it was so hard to keep the necessary level of emotional detachment. She was not an experienced healer trained to assist with mental ailments. And she was interacting with a girl who was of her own age, a bright and intelligent young woman who had been groomed and shaped to become a monster, but who under different circumstances could have become someone truly great... and Katara wanted to hope that Azula could still make something remarkable out of herself.

And just how was she supposed to stay coldly detached under these circumstances? If she were truly dispassionate, then she would have to admit that it was entirely possible that Azula's indoctrination could not be undone and that she might well be a lost cause... but Katara did not want to let herself think that. She had to believe that Azula was not completely lost to her father's dark influence. Thinking back to her travels with Aang and the others, Katara remembered how often she had nothing else to cling on to other than hope. She was always the naive one who kept hoping for things to work out, and... despite hardship and suffering, things had worked out. Hope had never let her down before. Katara had to remain absolutely certain that it wouldn't happen now.

They were about halfway down the mountain, with twilight quickly setting in, when Azula suddenly stopped in her tracks, in need of a break as she leaned against the smooth rock and took several mouthfuls of refreshing water from her canteen, Katara following her example. "Most of those buildings appear to be still intact," the princess said, pointing at the ruins below. "With a roof over our heads, at least there will be no need to squeeze into that tent of yours."

"Yes... we should be able to find shelter in the ruins," Katara nodded. For some reason, she could not help but feel a little disappointed, but she did not want to think too closely about why she felt that way. "Anyway, shall we proceed?" she asked instead.

"Sure... oh, wait!" Azula's arm shot out as she grabbed Katara's wrist, forcing her to face the ruins below. "Look! There, to the left!"

"What am I looking for... oh wait, I see it!" Katara realized quickly, the encroaching darkness making it easy to spot the glowing light in the ruins. "Someone's making a fire!"

"So much for those ruins being uninhabited," Azula frowned.

"Do you think those could be the Dai Li waiting for us?" Katara asked.

"What? No, that's absurd, why here?" Azula shrugged. "It's probably someone else."

"Let's be careful just in case," Katara said, the princess nodding quickly at her. "Anyway, we're more than capable of dealing with anyone who threatens us."

"First smart thing you've said today," Azula chuckled, moving on to lead once again, Katara following her closely. It took the two girls perhaps an hour and a half to make it all the way down the slope, Azula having to illuminate their path with her firebending for the last bit of the descent, the night falling quickly as the sun hid behind the mountain range.

"I think we should find out who else is here with us," Katara said as they walked the empty streets of Taku, the ruined city appearing positively ghostly in the dark.

"Of course, we can't have someone sneaking up on us as we sleep," Azula agreed quickly as they traversed the streets on their way towards the part of the ruined city where they had spotted the lit campfire.

It appeared that neither of them were particularly stealthy as they were spotted well before reaching the campfire. "Halt!" a man's voice rang out from the dark, forcing them to stop in their tracks. "Who goes there?"

"Good evening!" Katara called back as the two girls moved closer, the waterbender giving the princess a warning stare to keep things civil. "We were told these ruins had been abandoned!"

"Hopefully never again," the man replied, Katara and Azula walking up to the campfire to notice that a rather large crowd had formed around it, men and women of all ages, as well as several children, a gathering of entire families. "Now, what are two young girls doing here, wandering around Taku at this hour?" the man asked them again. He was very tall and powerfully built, with arms like tree trunks, looking like he could give the Boulder a run for his money.

"We are... students from Ba Sing Se University, doing a field research project," Katara lied quickly, earning a smirk from Azula. "And what are you all doing here, if I may ask?"

"You may ask," a woman replied as she walked up to the man, most likely her husband. She appeared absolutely tiny next to him. "Our ancestors all have some ties to Taku, and so we have a claim to this land. Now that the war is over, we have returned to try and resettle this city... and by the spirits, we're not going to let anyone stop us."

"Oh... you've already started to rebuild the city?" Katara asked, looking around. It was hard to see much in the light of the bonfire, but it seemed as if the surrounding buildings had been patched up somewhat and appeared to be in a better shape than the buildings they had passed earlier. "That's very impressive, we wish you the best of luck!"

"Thank you, young lady," the woman smiled at her. "Why don't you two join us at the fire? We'll get you something warm to eat. You must be tired after your journey, especially if you came by the mountain pass."

"We did, yes," Katara nodded gratefully. She glanced at Azula, who looked very reluctant to take the settlers up on their offer. "Warm meal sounds good, and it means we won't have to do any cooking," she whispered, Azula eventually nodding at her in acceptance. "We'd be happy to accept your offer, ma'am," Katara told the woman.

Shortly afterwards, Katara and Azula found themselves seated comfortably by the roaring fire, both of them nursing a bowl of hearty rabbit stew which mostly tasted of garlic. Katara suspected that the amount of garlic had been added to mask the otherwise slightly dodgy flavor, however, after a hard day of walking and very little to eat aside from a few snacks, it tasted better than the fanciest Fire Nation dish. Katara still found herself amused when she noticed Azula subtly improving her meal with a generous pinch of Fire Nation spices she had purchased at the Harbor Town.

"It must feel very satisfying to reclaim the land that had once belonged to your ancestors," Katara spoke politely once she had finished her meal, passing the empty bowl back to the smiling woman.

"Damn right!" a younger buck-toothed man sitting at the fire nodded at her. "It's like sticking it to those Fire Nation jerks! We should have made them rebuild this town for us!"

"Eh, that's not going to happen," another man shook his head, looking disgusted. "King Kuei is too soft with those monsters. I can't believe he's making friends with the Fire Nation... it'll just blow up in our faces again, mark my words."

Katara cringed inwardly at the responses her innocent remark had prompted. She definitely had not wanted to spark a political debate or bashing of the Fire Nation, not in Azula's presence. Hopefully these people would not guess that Azula was from the Fire Nation, she did not exactly have any obvious features that straight up identified her as Fire Nation, especially not in the sparse light of the bonfire.

"I thought Fire Lord Zuko was rather reasonable, wasn't he?" she tried amiably, hoping to smooth out the growing ire with the Fire Nation.

"Don't let yourself be fooled, little lady. He may seem reasonable now, but just you wait," the large burly man who had spotted them first shook his head. "He still comes from a family that has produced nothing but butchers." Katara could sense Azula tensing next to her, the waterbender giving the princess a concerned stare, fearing that she might explode in a fiery outburst.

"I don't even think Fire Lord Zuko is all that reasonable," one of the women spoke up. "He almost started a war again over Yu Dao, didn't he? And the things he did during the war, burning villages, hurting people? Terrible! Sure, he didn't do anything as heinous as his father and sister did... now those two were real pieces of work!"

"Is your friend alright?" another woman asked Katara. "She looks really upset."

Katara glanced at Azula, almost starting to panic from how the princess was clenching her fists, looking ready to explode any moment now. "She gets very upset when she hears people talking about the Fire Nation," Katara spoke soothingly, reaching out to grab Azula's wrist, hoping to calm her down. "Fire Lord Ozai has hurt her a great deal." At those words, Azula angrily shook off Katara's hand, jumped up to her feet and bolted straight off, disappearing into the darkness.

"Oh... we didn't realize..." the large man said, looking saddened and apologetic. "I'm sorry about that. She must have had things really rough."

"Yes, she has," Katara quickly got up to her feet, ready to follow Azula. "I'll go make sure that she's alright," she said, dashing in the direction that Azula had disappeared to.

It didn't take too long for Katara to find the princess. Azula was standing at the end of the rubble strewn street, looking out at the dark waters of the nearby river, arms stubbornly crossed on her chest. Katara approached her slowly, standing alongside Azula for a good while before saying a word. "I'm sorry, but I had to say something," she spoke up eventually.

"You didn't say anything wrong," Azula ground out. "Fire Lord Ozai did hurt me, but... I still shouldn't have allowed these peasants to speak so disrespectfully about me and my family! I should have burned them all to a crisp!"

"Why didn't you?" Katara asked softly.

"I don't know," Azula shrugged stubbornly. "I guess... I guess I didn't want to prove them right. Although, why I should care about what these peasants think, I don't know..."

"Sometimes when you are arguing with someone and they say terrible things about you, you know that they don't necessarily think that, but they are just saying those things because they want to hurt you in the heat of the moment," Katara spoke thoughtfully. "But when people say unflattering things about you when they don't know that you're listening and you know that they're actually saying what they think... that's when it really hurts."

"I guess so," Azula frowned. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. I shouldn't even be upset about something these peasants believe, they are irrelevant and not worth my anger."

"It's alright to sometimes be angry, Azula," Katara smiled at the princess. "Anyway, shall we go back?"

"Not going back there," Azula firmly shook her head. "I'll just spend the night in one of those houses," she pointed vaguely at the row of nearby dwellings. "You can go and make some new peasant friends."

"I'd rather stay with you, Azula," Katara spoke earnestly.

"I don't need you to stay with me, Katara," Azula insisted stubbornly.

"I know that you don't need me, but staying with you is what I want and what I freely choose," Katara would not give up. "Wait here, I'll go and get our belongings," she said when Azula made no more protests. "And don't you dare to run off again."

"Ugh, I won't... annoying, stubborn water peasant," Azula grumbled, but as Katara was departing, she could swear seeing the princess smile in the dark.

* * *

_5 Years after the Hundred Year War  
_ _Republic City_

Azula's head slumped forward as a moan tumbled past her lips. Katara might not be a big fan of using the strap-on, but Agni, she was so good with it. Once she had found the right angle of her thrusts, she kept hitting the same sweet spot unerringly and relentlessly, slowly reducing Azula's pleasure overwhelmed brain to gooey mush. Supporting herself on elbows and knees, Azula allowed her forehead to touch the sheets, as she enjoyed the view of Katara thrusting into her from behind. Past her swaying breasts, she could see the shaft of the toy, glistening with her juices, filling her so perfectly.

There was something about letting Katara take her from behind that made Azula completely mad with arousal, especially when she fantasized about someone walking in on them and catching the proud Fire Nation princess in such a compromising and humiliatingly submissive position. Just thinking about it all made her clit throb, and she struggled to keep herself supported on her elbows and knees.

Katara kept her hands on Azula's hips, holding her tight and steady, so that the angle of her thrusts would not change, a hard task especially when Azula's climax neared and she began to squirm and tremble. Occasionally, Katara would remove one of her hands to either lightly slap Azula's ass, or to run her hand down the slick skin of Azula's side to seize a dangling breast and give it a delicious squeeze. So far Katara had withheld from stimulating Azula's clit, since she was well aware that once she did that, it would inescapably push Azula into an orgasm.

Still, as much as Azula would have enjoyed for Katara to keep up the thrusts, she knew that the effort took a great physical toll on her lover, and she realized that Katara could not keep it up for much longer. "Do it, babe..." Azula moaned, Katara immediately understanding her meaning. The princess watched with fascination as Katara's hand slipped in between her legs, fingers settling against her hyper-sensitized clit, starting to tease it just the way she loved it.

Suddenly, with embarrassing haste, everything simply became too much for Azula. She cried out as she was dragged through a whirlpool of intense pleasure, intense heat blossoming and pulsating from her center and spreading throughout her body. She felt her muscles replaced with jelly and she could no longer support her weight, slumping forward in the bed, crying out when she lost the contact with Katara and the shaft of the toy that had filled her so perfectly.

The rapid beating of her heart thundered in Azula's ears as she slowly came down from her peak, breathing heavily as she struggled to rear her head. Glancing behind her through the curtain of her messy, damp hair, Azula could see Katara grinning smugly as she ran her fingers alongside the shaft, then licking the glistening digits and savoring the taste as she cleaned her fingers with her tongue.

Azula closed her eyes as she continued to recover from the incredibly intense peak, then gasping as she felt Katara rolling her over on the bed. She opened her eyes to watch her lover running her palms up her calves, until her hands came to rest on Azula's knees. Ignoring Azula's muffled protests, Katara began to slowly part Azula's knees, spreading her legs wide apart. Grinning wickedly, Katara hovered above her, lining the shaft of the toy against Azula's entrance and then plunging straight in, encountering next to no resistance as she entered Azula, the princess letting out another moan as she found herself filled again.

Instead of picking up a rapid pace with her thrusts, Katara instead settled for a very slow and soothing rhythm, as she lowered herself on top of Azula, their sweat soaked bodies melding together perfectly. Azula locked her arms around Katara's back as her lover's lips quickly found hers in a kiss that Azula wished would never break. When Katara held her like this, the sheer intimacy of it all always threatened to overwhelm Azula with its sheer beauty. She opened her eyes to look deep into Katara's cerulean orbs, almost feeling as if she could cry at the amount of love she saw reflecting back at her. Katara's thrusts had slowed down to near standstill, but somehow, that one final roll of her hips did Azula in one last time, and the princess hit yet another powerful peak, breaking away from Katara's lips and crying out in pleasure.

Katara continued to hold her all the way through the final ripples of her orgasm, smiling down at her lover. "I can tell you enjoyed that, Zula," the waterbender chuckled, kissing the tip of her lover's nose.

"Fuck, yeah..." Azula breathed out tiredly. "Babe, you always seem to know exactly what I need."

"You're getting pretty good at sensing that as well, Zula," Katara smiled at her.

"Thanks," Azula smiled. She could not stop staring into those sapphire blue orbs, drinking in the love and devotion that belonged to her, all to her. "Kat?" she asked quietly. Katara gave her a questioning state. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"I know," Katara spoke softly. "It's alright, Zula. I love you, too. And you are so very deserving of love, never think anything else." Azula pulled her in for another kiss that lasted for a long while. During the kiss, Azula's hands slid down Katara's back to start undoing the straps that kept the toy in place, and it was discarded in short order. As they continued to kiss and cuddle with Katara on top of her, Azula could feel the heat and wetness of Katara's core as it ground against her thigh.

"I think you need some taking care of yourself, babe," Azula grinned at her lover.

"I wouldn't say no to some attention," Katara winked back. "But not immediately... I'm just happy to hold you, Zula. I'm always happy to hold you..."

Azula did not know how to respond to that, all she knew was that her heart was doing somersaults in her chest at Katara's words. And she also knew that she was never letting go of this beauty they shared.


End file.
